Understanding One Another
by docmadi96
Summary: Exploring a new relationship takes time and nothing helps more than being on the same team. Can Ryan and Jesse both get their girl or will someone else get to them before that can happen? Based off Season 8. WolVista and Duquoza(testing out )!
1. The Gestapo

I found this randomly on my SkyDrive and decided to upload it since Her Eyes is on a _**brief **_hiatus. I wrote this when season eight aired and I guess I was exploring Cardoza and Calleigh together. This isn't primarily romance but there are romantic themes. Wolvista implied as well, they are my second favorite coupling.

Calleigh stood worried after applying the balsamic vinegar to Jesse's sting. While she could joke and laugh off the "small" injury, she was deeply concerned. He was a really good friend, and it would hurt her if another one of her friends got hurt on her account. Jesse didn't seem in the sharing mood especially about the girl, but not being one to share either, she let it slide for now.

Throughout the whole day Calleigh watched Jesse carefully. While he put on his front to the rest of the lab, she could see right through as if he was made of glass. The pain was apparent though he hid it well from the prying eyes and lingering questions.

Disappointment met her later that day when she decided to head home. Jesse left earlier than he usually did and only Natalia remained inside the locker room. Natalia had a joyful look on her face, that look spoke of happy times to come; she was going on a date. "You look like your heading out for a night out with a significant other?" Calleigh asks, smile spread across her face. It's been a while since she's had anything new, not gossip, to appear. "Well" Natalia drags "let's just say I have a set of eyes on me" she finally finishes after a groan from Calleigh. "Who's the lucky guy then?" "I will tell you if it goes well." Natalia leaves with the certain promise leaving Calleigh giddy with happy news finally.

**3 Days Later**

After the quick switch of partners, Calleigh and Jesse faced each other, Calleigh with the widest grin on her face. "What Cal?" Jesse asks. "I have a feeling this happens to you a lot!" laughter coated thick in her words. Yet only a smirk was set on Jesse's face. _She is going to be the death of me. _

The debacle with Mrs. Olsen left Jesse in a fit of incredulous laughter. Calleigh can only laugh at the situation that happened in front of her. "Were we just compared to the gustapo, we were compared to the gustapo!" Jesse laughs. He looks to Calleigh to see her reaction and she is staring at the door, a ghost of a laugh on her face "I can tell from right now that today is going to be a very trying day for me" she says. "I bet it is." Her face is serious but you can see the glint of playfulness dancing behind her eyes.

"She compared us to the gustapo. Man I'm glad we switched partners Cal. Natalia and I would've been at each other's ends. That date was a mistake." While that last sentenced was said quietly Calleigh was able to pick up on what he was talking about.

"Oh you're the guy?" she connected the dots. They head back to the lab by now, having come up with nothing and no news coming from Natalia and Ryan. "Oh I'm the guy, what?" his confusion caused a laugh to escape and Calleigh feels sorry. "Natalia said she was going out with a guy, and that if it went well she would tell me with who. And I'm going to guess that it didn't go so well." "Well then. I am that guy." He plainly puts. "Well seeing your reaction, it must've gone really bad." "Not exactly" Calleigh gives him that looks at him saying to continue. "I had a previous obligation that I had to fill unexpectedly." He adds lamely. "You didn't even show up! Jesse that's bad, that's really bad. Why didn't you apologize then?" Calleigh rants. "I texted her, and when I tried to explain myself she avoided me completely. We didn't have any cases for the past three days so it's not like I can just apologize then." "OH God Jesse you're better than that. I can't believe. It better have been for a legitimate reason, because I can't see you doing that without one." "Cal, relax, it was a very good reason. I will explain when I know more of what's happening. But for now just accept that for no."

Calleigh accepts this knowing that when she doesn't want to share she won't, and Jesse's the same. "Okay then, was the date serious or just testing the water?" she asks to alleviate the tension growing. "More just like two friends talking. Besides I like another woman." He adds with a tilt of his head. Calleigh was oblivious to any advance he made. Yeah the advances ere small, but he didn't want to rush her into anything. Especially with everything that has happened to her since they first met over a decade ago. His confession was met with a gasp from his current object of affection. "Who is it, is she pretty, do I know her, wait don't tell me I want to figure it out on my own" she badgers, eyes lit up shining like the jewels they were. He was grateful for the fact that he wasn't driving, or else they would've crashed a long time ago.

"Since you said you want to figure it out then no name, she's beautiful, and yes you do know her, and before you ask, no she doesn't know and I don't know when I'm going to tell her." Jesse had to laugh at Calleigh's frustration at him not giving enough detail on his crush. "I'll give her some time before I ask her out, I don't want to rush her into anything." And that was true. All that drama Calleigh had with John, Peter, Jake, and then Eric, she needs some time to herself to catch up with her own time. He wants to be the stability that she needs, but doesn't want to jump in when she's already unstable. Of course she was a strong person, but everyone needs they're space after something drastic happens in her life. He'll ask maybe in two or three months, but definitely when she gives the signal and only then.

(AN: Sorry again about no updates on Her Eyes, but here's a story that is for the most part written out.)


	2. Lucky Break

Second chapter! Let me know how Duqouza is working out so far, though they don't appear in this chapter.

"So what happened with you and Cardoza" asks Ryan. "You're giving him the third degree." "Let's just say he didn't fulfill a promise to me" Natalia answers avoiding telling him the complete truth. He just looks at her, disbelief in his eyes, head quirked in a comedic fashion. "Fine, he asked me out for a couple of drinks to explain why he was 'stalking' that girl Ana." "Oh damn. So he ditched you" "Nono no, more like he didn't even show up. He sent me a text right as our drinks came". Ryan felt a pang of jealousy hit. They're first date was far from even normal, but at least the both of them were there. "So was it a date date, orrr" Ryan drags "No. more like a friendly meeting to explain things going on with one another. At least I hope that's what Jesse was thinking as well." Natalia freaked out a bit, what if Jesse really thought them to become an item.

Whoa that would definitely be bad, besides Ryan held more in her eyes for her than Jesse. "Oh so no crush on Cardoza then?" Ryan teases. "No, not in that way. No romantic feelings, more like a friendship type like." Natalia chuckled at his curiosity, like he was digging for something. "Good because I don't want you off the market." _God the cheekiness of him _Natalia thought "Really and why is that?" she asks eyes dancing in humor. "I think you know well enough, I'll make it up to you and won't leave you hanging. That and this will be a date." "Are you asking or bringing me out?" _God Ryan is so cheeky._ Natalia couldn't believe him, but it's about time Ryan makes a better move on her. "God you're so bold." She tells him what she thought.

Yet she had to admit that she didn't have an ounce of attraction towards Ryan when they first met. And that Mexican wrestling date was a flop no doubt. But his annoying face soon turned to one she loved to see every day as the years flew by. He was an adorable person back when and now he's just cute. That was the only word she could you use to describe him now. Her small crush skyrocketed to full blown attraction, and she couldn't decide whether or not it was a good thing or not.

There is an age difference, but Ryan has shown that he didn't care. Nor does Ryan care about the past, doesn't care about the scars she's suffered, only about herself. Ryan is a good guy and maybe just what she needs to keep herself sane and happy.

They step up to the house and immediately on edge. This place screamed out creepy and murder, A foreclosed house in an unsuspecting neighborhood. The house radiated the lost home feeling, empty and desolate. The place was strewn with insulation and dirt, and the fact that a murder could've happened here was off-putting. At least this was the most likely where the murder took place, finally something was going her way.

And just like that, her life was turned upside down. Just as she uttered her words, the meth lab they just discovered blew up while they were still in the house. Everything went in slow motion, the door opening into the lab, the flames spreading across the room. Even Ryan's voice seemed to have slowed down considerably as the room was engulfed in flames. The room went black and her mind turned off for a while. She remembers flying to the ground and being weighed down by what felt like a truck, and a loud ringing surrounding her. The sound was bouncing around in her head; the pain felt like her skull was being baked.

She can faintly hear Ryan through the ringing and she hopes that he can get out of herein time. She feels him tugging and screams about her being stuck, that he has to get out of here. Whatever he's saying to her is lost because not one word is heard from him but she knows Ryan didn't leave due to the tugging on her arm.

The weight on her back was starting to crush her, the heat from the fire surrounding her from all around. Yet, Ryan was still here, trying to pick up whatever was on her back. She figured it was futile and that he'll end up killing himself and that was the last thing she wanted to happen. She begs him to leave before sending a prayer out to bless her sisters, the team, and the lab. Just as she finishes the weight on her back and she finally believes she's dead. She feels her body floating and through the ringing she can faintly hear sirens in the background. She wasn't dead! Her body started to respond to the fact and soon she could stand on her own. The ringing died down and she could finally hear everything in the background. She is able to deflect the paramedics away from her in order to get back to the case.

She almost died, almost killed, which pissed her off to no end. No way in hell she was going to the hospital, let alone home. This bastard almost killed her and Ryan… to death. Her head started to ring again and Natalia wanted to make sure that whoever did this was sent to jail by her hands. She figured the rage she felt at the moment can fuel her to last the entire case and no one is going to stop her. this bitch was going to get the smallest prison cell they could offer and no way was he getting out anytime soon.

Ryan on the other hand cannot believe that Natalia is putting herself through this. That explosion was shattering, but if she could continue with the amount of pain she has to be in, so could he. Nothing was as intense as what just happened. He would love to see whoever was behind this get stuck in prison fro the rest of his life. If it wasn't for Horatio showing up when he did, Nat would still be in the house, probably suffocating. Right now it seems as if Nat was taking out all that pain and anger into the case, and he let her go for now. He's got to make sure that he'll visit to check up on her for the rest of the day.


	3. Women

Sorry for the wait!

Jesse was greatly concerned for Natalia. He feels as if he put her there, she didn't want to be with him to search the other houses. On one hand he was relieved it wasn't Calleigh, but the concern for Natalia was stronger than the relief. Thank god she survived because that was the craziest thing he could ever imagine happening on such a then routine case. Ryan deserves every award ever given, if anyone doubted his loyalty to the lab and its people, he certainly proved it today. There's always a good side to something and he couldn't help but point out this one. The case was dragging and without Natalia and Ryan's intuition they would've been lost for another hour or two. It was lunchtime and right now eating was the only thing that could calm him down, maybe he would bump into Calleigh. And as fate would have it only Natalia sat there enjoying what looked like a salad.

Well this is a bit awkward. Jesse sat three chairs away from her eating a burger, trying not to say anything that could get him into trouble. When she read his text message, immediately she felt played. She thought that Jesse could be the perfect distraction from Ryan. Yea she and Jesse wouldn't be involved romantically, but it would still be a great distraction. But as she reread the text she realized that fate wasn't that easily tamed. Thankfully Calleigh and Ryan walk in, hands full of their lunch. They were biggest life savers in the entire world right now. "Did we all bring lunches? I always feel awkward sitting here by myself during lunch" Calleigh says as she sits down right next to Jesse. "I guess I'm not a person then" Natalia can't help but laugh at Ryan's cheekiness, it was something she could depend on throughout the day. "I meant the four of us all at once Wolf, and no you'renot a person, we're convinced you're from an intergalactic planet." And the whole room bursts out into laughter at Calleigh's usual level of sass.

Natalia was always jealous of the way Calleigh and Ryan could easily interact with one another and believes that they would make a better couple. "All joking aside, are you okay Nat?" and Calleigh scoops up her lunch to come and sit across from her. "I though fires were my thing?" "Well it looks like we're in a competition with one another. Let's just leave it as a draw though."

"Who thought getting Nat to talk was to just talk to her?" sasses Ryan; a little annoyed that Natalia didn't open up to him. "Well women only understand alike women" "Well women are challenging creatures, more confusing than quantum physics." "I'm pretty sure Calleigh understands quantum physics Ryan, no need to feel so alone. What else do you expect them to be?" "An open book." Ryan was one of the cheesiest yet funniest guys Jesse has ever come across. Ryan's face alone could reduce you to tears, and if you add Walter into the mix, Jesse would most likely piss his pants. "Well you better start reading" " Jesse, really, you know maybe you should start writing these comments down, that way at the end of the month you and Cal can compare them at the end pf the month." Ryan cant help but lagh at Jesse's face. The corner of his mouth turned upwards, with his eyebrows raised, it was hilarious coupled with the wide eyes and red face. "You as well as I know Wolfe, that I would certainly lose." But it'll be a good reason for the two of you to talkoutside of work."

"God Ryan really, we talk outside of work already, a lot more than you think." "Oh is that right? What do you guys talk about then?"_ Is this Ryan's way of getting information out, he gossips more than a woman. Well he did ask so. _"Sports, guns, food joints, guns, the amazing, bone crushing, explosive, mind blowing sex we'd give each other all night long." And with Ryan's face Jesse can't help but laugh out loud. Messing with Ryan was the funniest thing he likes to do with him. "That. Was. Too. MUCH INFORMATION!" you know what I'm done, goodbye, Natalia I will see you in layout, Cal I'll see you whenever, and Jesse fuck you." "Ryan come back! Don't you want to hear all the things in greater detail!" Ryan belts out of the break room at a record speed, leaving the room full of confused people. "What was that about" Jesse turns to see both Calleigh and Natalia staring at him eyes wide in amusement. "Nothing, just Ryan being Ryan." He gets up to leave at the after the little white lie, if Calleigh knew what they were talking about then she'd probably flip.

It seems like besides everything happening earlier today, the team can share laughs with each other.


	4. Family

Natalia watches Jesse leave the break room with her sitting confused. Calleigh is watching him leave with a lost gaze and a broad smile_; it was obvious she likes him_. "They're a pretty funny pair aren't they?" "Have you been in a room with them and Walter? I swear Nat. I almost pissed myself from laughing so hard." Calleigh was blushing as she said this, as if that was oversharing. But she was right; the three of them together would have you rolling over in a fit of laughter in no time. Natalia chooses to voice her opinion. "Yea they are, too bad Walter wasn't here. I would've loved to see his reaction to whatever that was."

Calleigh laughed out loud and jumped at the sound of her pager going off alerting her of another case she was working on. "I'll see you later then Nat" "See you, oh and thank you" "For what?" "For just being here, talking to me. I'm pretty sure Ryan wanted to talk to me but I'm doubt I'm strong enough to do that right now" it was such a sad thing to admit to a person, especially to someone as strong as Calleigh. But she was very comfortable around her, Calleigh is reliable and stable.

"You probably should though. You and Ryan are very close to one another and he would never look at you any differently than he does now. When I opened up to Eric it felt amazing, like a weight was lifted. Yea he took it for granted, but without him I wouldn't be able to open up to other people and be able to connect at a deeper level. When you open up to a person, you're allowing him to see a more realistic side of yourself. It also shows that you're not afraid to express yourself even during hard times. So speak with him later today if that's possible. I got to run, catch you later." "Thanks Cal I will. See ya." Damn that was deep; I didn't know she was capable of being so open on something so simple.

Calleigh was not the type of person to open up so easily. Eric must've really helped her along, see in as she would rather suffer in silence than speak up. People change, and Calleigh's change was for the best. Calleigh was devastated over Eric leaving and Natalia thought that she would close herself off. But she did the opposite and Natalia is eternally grateful for it. If Calleigh can do it, then I can. There is no way she and Ryan wouldn't talk more. No way would they end up having to play a guessing game. From this point Natalia vowed that she and Ryan would admit their feelings. And maybe Jesse and Calleigh could fess up and admit theirs as well.

Ryan sighs, he was bored. After the oversharing on Jesse's part images of him and Calleigh flew through his head. And they were happening right now. Ewwww, Calleigh was like his older sister and to think of her that way was disgusting. Yea she was gorgeous, but his schoolboy crush melted away a long time ago. Jesse could have her all he wanted. He was more interested in Natalia anyway. She was beautiful in every sense of the word. She was down to earth and caring, and looked so soft. Their first date went horrible and they hadn't tried since then. But he knew that she was just as into hi as he was into her.

"Dreaming of reaching five ten Wolfe" came Walter's booming voice. "Yea of course I am. I always dreamed of reaching the top shelf" he joked back. Walter was a very cool dude. He could instantly brighten your whole day with his presence. "Don't worry baby boy, one day you too will be able to ride all the rides you want." And then sometimes Walter could irk you in all the right places "You know, one day Walter, you're going to eat your words." The look on Walter's face was enough to bring a smile to Ryan's. "I can't do that Wolfe, I'm already tall enough to reach the top shelf and ride all the rides I want. Hell even Calleigh can reach the top shelf" Ryan's groan was met with Walter questioning if he went too far.

"Jesse and Calleigh have some pretty interesting conversations did you know that?" Ryan explains. "Noooo, but would you like to elaborate on that Wolfe?" "You see I was teasing Jesse about his obvious attraction to Calleigh and how they should talk more. When he mentioned everything they do talk about" Walter gives Ryan a look of pure sass, and motions for him to continue. "Well apparently they talk everyday" "what's so bad about that bird brain" "About guns, food joints, and guns"

"So pretty much normal conversation, well as normal as guns are in a conversation at least. Whats so bad about that Ryan?" "Also about the amazing, bone crushing, explosive, mind blowing sex they'd give each other all night long" and Ryan immediately laughs at the look of first surprise straight to disgust on Walter's face. He could see why Jesse was laughing so hard. Still the thought of the both of them locked in such a steamy state was gross and Ryan had to think of corpses stuck in a house in the middle of the everglades on a hot, humid, sunny day in the middle of summer to get rid of the image.

"Too much information Wolfe, waaaay too much" "that's what I said Walter, and Jesse just laughed" "you know I just came in here to ask how BV was doing, not about..." and Walter shivers. "She's …better, she hasn't spoken to me yet, but she'll come around to it eventually. I hope." "Well if anything changes let me know, she loves cupcakes and I'm pretty sure me giving her some would make her day" Walter leaves with another shiver and Ryan starts to laugh all over again.

Even with Natalia a bit on edge Ryan is able to focus on something else. This team was amazing at doing that. Whenever someone was down, they'd help make that person feel better. It could also be said that they had some sort of intuition about each other that has rarely ever failed them. Jesse was that cooler older brother everyone wanted to have. Walter was that annoying little brother everyone wanted to kill. Natalia was the girl next door, or the cheerleader to his nerd. That girl in school that he could never have due to her being out of his league. Calleigh was the unreachable item of everyone's affection, able to bring smiles to everyone's faces just by existing, and for whatever the reason the most innocent on the team. And Horatio was the father that was happy to just watch his children interact with one another and with the people outside of the group. Natalia was the girl he wished would wake up at his side every morning, the one he wishes he could spend more time with. She was the one he wishes he could marry and have many adorable little natalia's as possible. She is the one. They were one big, happy, diverse family of their own. And they watched out for each other no, matter what.


	5. AN: Bleh

Sorry for the slow updates... school's a bitch. AP tests finish this wek and then Semior Exams next week. But after that i am out of school forever, actually I'm heading to upstate New York for college. The next chapter shuld be up for buth my stories within the next two to three days. Any suggestions given aare being taken into account and anymore suggestions you guys want will be as well. I try to write but it's too much to do especially with all these tests for the last month and a half. Sorry for the updates again and happy readings :)!


	6. GReek Food and Star Trek

Updates! A short chapter I know, but more is coming up!

Even with Jesse and Ryan's funny conversation, and Calleigh's helpful words, Natalia felt like crap. Her ears were still ringing and she had to focus completely on whoever was talking to her. It was a slow crescendo that chose to stop and start randomly. Music drowned out the ringing for a while but the longer she listen the louder the rings. It came to the point where her music was basically blasting in her ears and the ringing was still louder. She was so engrossed in the work she failed to notice someone calling her name that she started at the hand on her shoulder.

"Oh my god, Ryan you scared me!" he stood next to her, face painted with worry. "I called you a bunch of times before. Nat are you okay?"

"Ryan I'm fine, why do you ask?" she tried to keep her nerves down but the undeniable higher pitch of her voice caused Ryan's eyebrows to rise. "It's just that I've never seen you listen to music in the lab, and it's been four years since we first met."

"Really? Because maybe my hair just hid the headphones, this isn't the first time I listened to music at work." She hoped Ryan would accept what she said, but one hesitant look at him told her he was highly skeptical. _Can this day get any worse?_

"Well maybe I just didn't realize, but why was it so loud? You practically had the volume all the way up" his eyebrows raise even higher, a trick he probably learned from Calleigh. "Ryan, I just wanted to drown out everyone. Earlier today was intense and I just wanted some quiet time, all to myself."

"You know want to know something Nat? Since we've got out of the explosion I have this ringing in my ear. It has been pretty annoying but it can't be as bad as yours. You were closer to the blast than I was. I'm going to the doctors tomorrow to get checked out; maybe you would want to do the same." This stung her. Yea she was being irrational right now, but she didn't need anyone to tell her how her body felt. She was fine and there was no need to go to the doctors for something that will go away on its own.

"Ryan I'm fine, the ringing isn't there anymore, I honestly just wanted to escape for a while. Now can we get back to the case now?" he flinches at the hostile tone I shoot his way. _Way to get him to stop worrying about you. _

"Sure Natalia, we can get back to work, no problem." Ryan's voice was full of disappointment and Natalia felt really bad about being so curt with him. "Listen Ryan, I'm sorry. The day's been very stressful, especially this morning. You and I were in the same explosion this morning. Give me some slack Ryan."

She could see him relax and it in turn relaxes her completely. "How about after this case we head out to get some food. How about that cool Greek restaurant you enjoy so much. That sounds like a good idea huh Nat. Nat? Nat!"

Calleigh was a bit satisfied over the ending of the case. Mrs. Olsen was a very troubled woman, to enslave another person after giving such a big promise to her family was as low as it could get. Her spirits were down and that raise she quipped about earlier was enough to have a small smile on her lips. "Nice to see you smile after the case today" Calleigh turns to see Jesse rushing to catch up to her.

"Well of course it's been a good day Jesse. The case ended early and now I can go home and curl up with the plot hole filled Star Trek." She smiles at him brightly.

"Whoa a Star Trek marathon, mind if I join you? It has been a while since I've had something like this." His eyes were dancing with excitement, smile wide with hope, and his dimples were set deep. Saying no to him is not an option. "Sure Jesse, no problem, I provide the show, you provide the food?"

"Yea no problem, I'm in the mood for that Korean joint by your house, have been for the last couple weeks." Something about his face told her that tonight was going to life changing for the both of them. "Yes, that would be amazing. Make sure you get my favorite then."

"Anything for you Calleigh, anything for you." Jesse walks off with a skip in his step and Calleigh finds herself feeling like a teenager again. This is going to be a very fun night no doubt in my mind about it.


	7. Too Soon?

Ryan sat across from Natalia, watching her scarf down a gyro. She seemed better now that she had food in front of her. It still took time to catch her attention, having to call her name multiple times before she would show any type of response.

Why she wouldn't admit something was wrong, Ryan didn't know. But she should speak up soon before Ryan has to go to someone about it. When his eye was bothering he chose not to say anything and Ryan didn't want Natalia to go through what he had to.

"You know I'm here for you right?" he tells her. She stops stuffing her face long enough to give him a pointed look.

"Yea Ryan I know you are. Look my ears are bothering me some but not enough to go to the doctor. I'll be fine by the morning." She takes another bite to avoid looking in his eyes and Ryan made a note to check up on her early the next morning.

Jesse sat staring at Calleigh as they watched Star Trek, well more like as she watched Star Trek. She was rewinding and playing Shatner screaming Khan over, and over and over again. He had to admit that it was something hilarious to see over, and over, and over again. But staring at Calleigh was a lot more fun.

_She really is gorgeous. _Her hair fell down her shoulders in waves and ended at the swell of her breasts. She was in sweats and a tank top, showing off her breasts even more. Jesse's hand twitched at the sight of her hair at such an enchanting place and he had to shift to get his… business, in a more comfortable spot.

Her face was flushed from all the laughter Star Trek was bringing out. Her eyes were dancing with joy and the smile lines showed all their might. This was what Jesse used to come home with Tracy, after a stressful they'd be sitting comfy together. He missed those days, but seeing Calleigh in front of him now, gave him hope for happier days.

Calleigh was completely make-up free and Jesse chuckled again at her complexion. She is alabaster as alabaster as anyone could be. Her skin was flawless, not one blemish in sight. She said she only breaks out when she's stressed but Jesse doesn't believe that.

"What? Is there something on my face?" she asks out of the blue and Jesse realized that he spaced out looking at her.

"Huh? Oh no no I was just…just …well you know" he could feel the blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Well I know what?" she asked with a grin.

Jesse decided that this was now or never. _It couldn't get any worse could it?_

He leaned in close to the point where their noses were touching. He could feel her breath getting ragged. _She isn't pulling away._

The tilt of her head was enough permission and their lips met in a small kiss. She tasted as sweet as she looked. His head exploded with hope. She liked him back, enough to let his tongue slip past her lips, enough to join him in their little dance they've got going.

She pulls away before any of them could get carried away. She did, however, rest her forehead on his and gave him a chaste kiss. "You were planning to kiss me?" she asks on a rather husky breath.

"No, but it seemed like a better plan than stumbling like the idiot I can be." He rushed out, hoping she wouldn't pull out a gun and shoot him where he sat.

"Well then. Good plan Dimples!" ugh he hated whenever she brought up that nickname. He knew that sooner or later he'll find one for her though. One that she'll absolutely hate him calling her.

They sat closer together, her head resting on his shoulders. They spent the rest of the night just relaxing in each other's company.

The next thing he realized a sliver of light hit his face. He popped up and a thud could be heard. "OW!" came a familiar voice.

He looked down to see Calleigh spread out on the floor of her house. He looked around and judged by the tv still on, the food sill out, and both of them on the couch they must've fallen asleep.

"Well morning" she says in a huff and Jesse is knocked into sense.

Calleigh seemed to have the same kick and they both looked at the clock on her wall. It was 5:30 in the morning, no trouble he lived ten minutes and this drive shouldn't take more than five minutes this early in the morning.

Calleigh's pager goes off and she starts. "I guess I woke up at the right time huh?" she adds lamely.

"Yea, I should get gong shouldn't I?" Jesse stands awkwardly. He gives her a chaste kiss on the lips before heading for the front door.

Well that was awkward. But it was a good night.

"Calleigh, we'll talk later today after the case, I swear." She gives him a smile

"I'm holding you to that Jesse. Let's have lunch if today isn't too busy by lunchtime." He smiles and affirms her wishes. But he knows that if she gets called in early he will too. So today is going to be a very busy day.

AN: Delko for the Defense is the next episode I'm basing the next chapter, which I just referenced above. Gonna watch it again for more things to write about, whatever I write I know jealousy from both men are going to be there. Leave a review and/or message me if you have any cool ideas that I could take into consideration, and if this Duqouza is working out.


	8. The Hardy Boy

….Another chapter! I didn't forget about this, just sidelined with moving to New York, from South Florida for college. I have more time now, so here is more chapters!

Ryan couldn't believe how ironic this situation was. When he was fired for gambling, Eric teased him mercifully on every side job Ryan couldn't afford not to take. Now here Eric was, working for the defense, the other side!

While Ryan understands why Eric is doing what he's doing, he still is being very… annoying. Following them around with that stupid camera of his. He couldn't help but say the smart comments each and every time they were in the same room.

"I'm just doing my job" Eric says, yea so was he back when he was a news reporter. The cosmos had a funny way of balancing out the powers. Calleigh would say it was "karma" doing its best at satisfying his anger.

"Hey Ryan! Can you believe Delko? He's on the other side!" came Nat's voice from down the hall.

"Yea I know. You should've seen him all day with that stupid camera of his. Following us around, making sure we don't mess up." He says in a huff, frustration evident in his words alone.

"Hey" she stops him and doesn't continue until their eyes meet. "You know what it's like to be in his position, maybe not exactly like, but you can at least relate with him. He said that his name got pulled. And you as well as I know that living in Miami isn't exactly cheap. He saw a job opportunity and he took it, just as you did.

"Don't be so mean towards him. Besides he's speaking with Talbin right now. He's going over to SA now, so he's going to be working with us again." _Damn she's good. _

"Yea you're right Nat. I could've been a little more sympathetic. But still, he disappeared for almost three months and he speaks with us if he never left." Ryan adds lamely. It was bad enough that he was chastising his friend, but Nat had to chastise him. _Great now I feel bad._

"You know, today was a tough case, maybe we should order out and watch a movie, or two, or four. We all have the weekend off. She had her hair in waves today, cascading just past her shoulders. Her eyes were that Bambi wide thing she did whenever she wanted something from him. And every single time he couldn't resist.

"Yea Nat that sounds amazing. But f we're going to watch that many movies, then you should bring a change of clothes." He says with a hint of suggestiveness. And her eyebrows shoot through the roof.

"Oh okay then Ryan, didn't know you could be this bold. In that case I will bring some clothes, and one of my movies." She jokes, the day washing over Ryan with a simple laugh from her.

"Oh god I guess I will survive one of your chick flicks again. The last one almost killed me to death." He shoots back effortlessly.

"Challenge accepted"

Calleigh was excited that Eric took up her offer with Talbin. She would feel bad if he got stuck with the job as expert witness would've killed him in the end. But now, she feels as if this was going to end in a lot of drama.

Ever since she and Jesse shared that kiss last night. Calleigh has been on edge. The kiss was more than she could've asked for but she couldn't help but feel like they had rushed things. She has to make sure she tells Jesse that going slow is the best thing for the both of them. Besides he seems as if he just came off of a bad relationship himself.

Taking it slow is the best possible thing for the both of them. Now, they're going to have to take it even slower because Eric is back. _Why is my life a Lifetime drama?_

She knows she is done with Eric, he's been too closed off for too long. She didn't even know he was in Puerto Rico until two weeks ago. He was the one that made her so open, the one that made Calleigh realize that showing emotion was a good thing.

The one that told her that honest is the best policy in any relationship, yet he failed to tell her something as small as a getaway. She would've understood, she would've helped him pack. Instead she had to find out through his mother, who was stopping by to drop off some flan.

Eric was out of her romantic life, and while she can admit that he was the reason why she is who she became, she has to share that with another person. Hopefully Jesse won't turn out to be like her old flames.

Natalia and Ryan were on his couch watching Avatar. This was his favorite movie and Natalia had to sit through it again. She was glad when it finally ended, since this movie felt like it lasted the entire day and a second.

"Now for my movie! You'll love it." She says with a sly smile. Hoping that he feels on edge. It works and Ryan looks like he's about to explode.

"Relax its Brokeback Mountain." She adds a wink at his face. She tells him all the time that he's a discount Jake Gyllenhaal, and it pissed him off to no end.

"God Natalia are you serious? Why thi… really?" Ryan's face turns into a frown and Natalia laughed hard at the look. He was adorable with his lips in a straight line, eyebrows straight and eyes blank. It was emotionless and funny as hell. "Really Natalia?"

"Hey Ryan, leave me alone. I wanted a movie that I could easily picture you in." she stared him down.

"But why not Prince of Persia or some other movie? Why Brokeback Mountain?"

"Because, you're very sensitive. And the role fits you better than any action Gyllenhaal. Plus, it annoys you." She laughed out loud again. This was going to be a long night.

Ryan however, felt insulted. Insulted up until the point where she practically planted herself down in his lap. He could feel her head against his chest, nuzzling into him as if he were a pillow.

All was forgiven as he wrapped his arm around her body, encasing Natalia with his warmth. With a solitude kiss to her forehead, Ryan found it fit to take a nap, she wouldn't notice until the movie was over.


	9. AN:NYC!

Oops silly me updating the wrong AN. Thanks to 1 for mentiining it, but yea I moved to NYC and just git internet set up, so look out thw next week or so for an update to this fic. Sorry for no updates whatever, but between moving and college prep life is pretty hectic.


	10. So STUPID!

YOOOOOOOOOOOOO so I did not forget about this story, but my god! It's been like forever. Based off of Show Stopper.

Jesse felt immensely bad. First he practically screams at Calleigh and then when he does explain himself, he leaves her hanging there. "How could you be so STUPID!" _this was the one time you could've let her in, show her you trusted her._

Yet he found himself outside her door, with nothing to say.

That kissed they shared was amazing. She is the only woman he's remotely been with since Tracy. The only one. And he might've just fucked that up.

His internal struggle to raise his hand to knock was cut short as the door flew open. "Are you okay Jesse? You're kinda screaming at my door." Her eyes held the same mischievous glint of hers.

"Yea, I'm peachy, I just want to explain myself better." He's glad she isn't mad, that wouldn't be good at all.

"No need Jesse, I understand. I pushed a button that didn't need to be pushed. Come inside." She pushed the door open and he gladly entered.

_You got this Cardoza, no stress. She can only shoot every gun known to man, no big deal, none whatsoever._

"Are you okay?" her voice was caught between a chuckle and a full blown laugh.

"Are you laughing at me? I come here to explain my odd behavior and you're laughing at me?" he snide, but he makes sure to add a lilt to ensure that she knows he's not actually angry.

At the turn of her eyebrows he decides to be daring. He darts towards her right in the middle of her living room and plants a chaste kiss to her lips. She smiles gently and motions toward the couch. "You want anything to drink? I've got a nice tall glass of…water."

"Juice sounds fine thanks" he adds with a dimpled grin. At the shake of her head she's gone. And he's left in the silence once again.

_Don't fuck this up. Don't fuck this up. She's in a good mood. She won't shoot me thankfully._

"Jesse there's no need to be so nervous. Just explain yourself whenever you're ready." Calleigh stood above him with a glass of water just as she promised.

"I didn't know how to tell you. When you were asking me about the mileage, I just took my frustrations out on you. I didn't mean to be angry with you. Nor did I mean to just walk off the way I did. Just talking about Tracy had me overwhelmed. Just know that I'm not normally like this, but to see someone so close to that bastard just angers me." Jesse looks at his lap, only looking up when Calleigh answers.

"It's fine Jesse. We all have our moments. And besides I was grilling you pretty hard earlier. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. I completely understand. Your Tracy is like my dad. Sensitive subjects, only meant to be approached when needed to be."

_Wow that was genuine._

"Your father was murdered?" he asks.

"No, but he has been a raging alcoholic for most of his life. That's how I knew him as and that all I'll ever know. I can't tell you how many times he's… disappointed me but it's been far too many. I uhm I don't like to talk about him a lot. But just know that we all have sensitive areas and that it's okay to express the frustration that they bring.

"I felt bad for asking you all those questions in the car when you told me about Tracy. I just want you to know that whenever you're ready you can tell me anything I need to know. There's no need for any instant explanations."

_Holy shit she's really genuine. _

"Thanks Calleigh. I just didn't want to add earlier today to a list of mistakes. I don't want to keep you up. It's past midnight." He gets up and heads to her front door.

But Calleigh pulls his arm and leads him upstairs to her bedroom. "Stay the night it won't hurt you at all, and I promise nothing sexual." Her eyebrow lifts in humor and he nods his head in agreement.

"Well you're very direct." He poked. Walking into the room, he realized he must've caught her in wind down mode. The lamp was on with a book sitting under it. Her blanket turned over showing she was resting.

"Make yourself at home" she waves her hand over the bed.

"You don't mind if I sleep in my undershirt and boxers do you? He asks out of respect.

"No I don't Jesse I don't mind at all." a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

He strips in the bathroom and walks into her room to her admiring his frame. He leaps into bed and dares to move his arm around her.

She reacts positively and before you know it they were spooning. "Night Calleigh."

"Night Jesse"

He waits till he feels her breaths even out before he closes his eyes.

_Thank god he was so STUPID today._


	11. Short Morning

(I'm kinda changing the actions in this chapter. But I don't feel bad. In the Wind based.)

Ryan is beyond furious. Natalia is being way to stubborn for his liking despite almost being killed by a katana wielding teenager. _How could she be so careless?_

Sitting across from her later he can't help but be angry with her. "How could you be so careless Nat? I know you want to be strong, you want to show us you can handle yourself." Ryan starts.

"Nick did this to me." her small voice interrupts. He barely heard her, almost missed it. "Nick did what?"

Natalia looks down in her lap, she takes a look around her apartment before setting her eyes on him again. "The reason why the blast deafened me is because nick abused me. The doctor says frequent blows to the ear can cause temporary hearing loss. He even gave me a pamphlet for abused women to go to for help." Tears make their way down her face and Ryan gathers her into his arms.

"Oh honey, I'm right here. Don't worry okay, it'll get better. That bastard has done too much damage to you already. Don't let him damage you more." Ryan picks her up and brings her into the room. He lays her down and lets her cry her eyes out.

For the whole night, Ryan held Natalia. Making her feel secure, calming her down when she woke up in the middle of the night.

In the morning _5:30 am_ the chirping of both their cells wakes them up. This case is going to be a long one.

Jesse sits on his bed, Calleigh snuggling into his side, him on his laptop looking up information on himself. The tabloids think of him as a stalker and he couldn't deny that but he is trying to look out for Anna. She seriously dug herself into a hole by dating **that** man. Slamming his laptop shut he screams an explicit.

"Fucking hell" he screams, a twitch of anger causing him to slam himself back onto the bed. Calleigh jumps up at his movement. Reaching out for him she gives him a tired and confused look. "You okay?" came her accent filled voice. "You've been acting very weird lately. "

"That girl that I mentioned before is still fooling with Tony Enright. I don't know what to do." His sigh is heavy, his frustration growing.

Calleigh runs a hand along his arm, trying to keep him calm. "We've been through this before Jesse, you can't do anything until she reports a crime. I know you want to help her but she doesn't want any help.

"It's the same with my father. No one could reach him to the point where he thought he killed someone. It wasn't until then that he realized that he had a problem." Calleigh bites her bottom lip in frustration.

He decides that listening to her is the best decision he can make and so he drops it for the time. He pulls her into him and plants a kiss on her forehead. "Yea, you're right. But I still worry you know." Sitting up Calleigh gives him sweet kiss to his lips.

"Yea I know. But sooner or later this girl is going to realize that she needs to leave. Now we have work in two hours, I would like to go back to sleep." She flops down unceremoniously, causing Jesse to chuckle.

The past month had been good to them, the cases not too complicated. If anything, they'd been paired together a lot and he is eternally grateful for that. It just gave them more time to get to know each other.

He found out about **some** things about her childhood, like her brothers and her learning to shoot. She found out about his love to surf and his basketball career as a kid. He found himself liking her even more than ever before.

Besides the minor details of her life, she hadn't divulged any major details. Besides what he already previous knowledge about her father, she only shared information about her dad when she was trying to give him an example of trusting her judgment. He learned about the catastrophes of her previous affairs and he vows not to end up like the rest of them. _Not only will I be the one to bring her stability, she'll bring me some as well. _

He spoons against her and she snuggles back into him. This is his favorite part of their day, being able to feel the warmth of another person against him. At first he was reluctant to start it, but as they started to lean against each other, he found it easier to try his luck.

She is extremely receptive, probably picking up on his loneliness. It's been two years since he's been with a woman and his skills were rusty. It didn't matter about his good looks, his interest in dating had dwindled his interest in social interactions.

Calleigh is a challenge. He's pushing himself as well as her to open up and let the other person in. he's not going to rush anything because then she'll push him away. So in order to avoid all that, he's taking it in stride. And it's gotten him this far in a month, so maybe this month will yield newer and better results for the both of them.

Just as he feels himself drift off the shrill from both their cellphones starts the both of them. "WHY?" came his groan and she kisses his forehead before answering her phone.

"I'll make coffee." She taps her finger on his chest and stalks down his hallway. It's 5:35 am, waaaay too early to be going to work.

_Today's going to be a long day.\_

**AN: This is a short chapter only because it's midterm week! Should upload the next part within a day of this update.**


	12. Long Day

Jesse sat on the workbench in the locker room, eavesdropping on Eric and Calleigh conversing. _What right did Eric have to question Calleigh's whereabouts and activities? You guys aren't a thing anymore, she's MY girlfriend!_

"Come on Cal, we can go back to my place and have some fun."His suggestive tone vibrates through Jesse's skull and immediately he's angered.It was only when Calleigh's voice reaches his ear does he calm down. "Eric we're over. I've moved on." He smiles. She isn't spilling the beans, she's just letting Delko know that whatever they shared is over. Any thoughts of intervening left Jesse's mind as fast as they entered, she wouldn't appreciate it at all.

"Don't you miss us?"

"I used to, but not anymore. Not for the last month." Her answer brings a smile to his face.

"You found someone new?"

"And if I did?"

"Calleigh, it took us seven years to become a thing. And only takes you what, three months to get over us? What about Jake, he got a second and even third chance?" Jesse pops up, Eric sounds confrontational, and that's not good at all.

"Jake and I knew what we were getting into. You, you betrayed my trust and then leave without a heads up. How could you say that you and Jake are different when in fact you guys are just the same? This is not the place to have this conversation and were are not having it anymore." Jesse listens as her heels click and clack on the tiled floor.

Smiling, Jesse heads out after hearing Eric leaves.

Ryan looks down at Natalia in his arms. She had been devastated over the news of nick's abuse causing more damage to her years after his death. "I've suffered so much. Why? Why does he want to cause me so much pain?" his heart breaks at Nat's admission.

"Nick didn't appreciate you, didn't love y deserves. He hit you, raped you, and took advantage of you. How he could ever called himself a man, I don't know. As for why? I can't answer that, the only one that can give you that is six feet under."

"That's sweet, so sweet. Thank you Ryan." She gives him a deep hug.

They look into each other's eyes and closes as their lips meet in a kiss as sweet as Ryan's words. Natalia felt herself floating as their lips dance with one another. It turns heavy really quick, with Natalia straddling his lap.

"You sure Nat? This is going to change everything."

She gives him a coy smile. "Yes I'm sure, now please. Don't make me wait any longer." She dips her head and in less than a second, Ryan loses himself in her.

Jesse and Calleigh sat face to face on her bed. "Eric wants us to be friends with benefits."

He looks up surprised. Not at the Eric thing, he heard that, but at the fact that she didn't have to be asked about her bad mood.

"Did he really?" Jesse asks, making sure that the surprise reaches his voice.

"Yea, he asked if I wanted to go back to his place and 'have some fun'" Jesse shakes his head with a sorrowful face. "If we weren't together Jesse, I would've gone with him."

His head pops at that. _She still has feelings for him?!_

"You popped into my head though, I could never hurt you like that. I thought that I still had feelings for him, and a part of me always will. He's been my best friend for over seven years now. But I figured that it was just physical attraction between Eric and me. It's no longer emotional. I don't miss him, not one bit."

"You sure?" she laughs at him and for a minute he's angry.

"I'm positive."

They look each other in the eyes. His showing fury and hers showing humor. "Are you jealous? Because you have no reason to be."

"You said you would have went with him." She shakes her head.

"I also said it would be purely physical. Unattached sex." He nods in understanding.

"And us? Are we purely physical?" he had to ask, had to know.

"No, of course not. Sex is just an added bonus. If you play your cards right that is." Her wink set off a spark in his eyes. _Well now she's just being coy._

"Well I guess that I should pick up a new hand huh? Seeing as I just flushed out." He decides to play her game. He's met with a chuckle that was downright pure seduction. _I like this side of her._

"You've been playing them right so far." She rolls her hips up and plants a kiss on his cheek. When she goes in for another one, he turns his face so their lips connect. Their kiss is anything but gentle. He gathers her into his arms and she falls into his lap. Her moan echoes his as they deepen the kiss.

Breaking apart, he trails kisses along her jaw line, kissing up into the shell of her ear. To which he experimentally sucks and bites, awarded with her intake of breath.

She maneuvers herself to straddle his lap as he suckles against her neck. He licks down her collarbone, playfully and lightly nipping at her neck. She rakes her nails down his neck a shuddering moan spurring him on.

She pulls back and sets herself on his lap, brushing up against his erection. "You sure you want to do this Calleigh? There is no going back after this." _I want you to be sure princess._

She looks at him and chuckles that seductive chuckle of hers before giving him a chaste kiss. "I'm positive. I've had a long day, and now I just want to spend some _special _time with you."

She kisses his jaw and he continues "Wouldn't we just be turning physical at this point?" _Keep checking, just keep checking. _

"Sex Jesse, is an added bonus." He laughs and grabs her for another kiss before they consummate their relationship.


	13. Long Day Revised

**Someone cough* cough* might've uploaded the wrong chapter. Oops.**

The light shoots through Natalia's room and hits Ryan in his eye. Opening them up, he meets a beautiful sight, Natalia sprawled out in the bed, sheets tangling into every curve. His lips turn up at the sight of her. She is absolutely stunning, a bronze goddess amongst all the mortals.

The sheets hugs her body gratefully, showing off her curvaceous figure to his greedy eyes. The curve of her back dips perfectly for his hand to fit in. She's sleeping contently, smile dancing on her full lips. Last night was a huge jump for them. They had finally confessed their love for one another while making love.

It was amazing, her trapped beneath his body, squirming and whimpering in pleasure when he lets it slip that he loves her. He gives a start when he realizes his mistake. Instead of shock from her she repeats the words back on a breathy moan and instantly Ryan is relieved.

He runs a hand through her wild mane and runs it down the length of her back. "Are you done staring at me, because I feel your eyes boring into my head?"

"Well if you weren't so beautiful, we wouldn't have that problem, now would we?" he plants a kiss to her lips. Her chuckle reaches his ears and he smiles. "I love you, you know that Nat?"

She gives him a tearful smile and he kisses her tears away. "I know, and I love you too."

"We have the day off, thank god. What do you want to do?" Ryan asks.

"Stay in bed with you." Natalia laughs and cuddles up into his side. Resigning he spoons her and starts another playful round by kissing up her shoulder. "We can arrange that."

Jesse woke up when he felt a tickling sensation on his chest. Looking down, he finds the source of the tickling. Her hair is extremely tousled, and is fanned out across his chest. She had moved to have her body flushed against his side. He can feel each and every one of her soft curves against him. Her bee stung lips are pursed from sleep, breaths deep and even.

Brushing her hair off of his chest he cups her cheek, running his thumb up and down her face. Her skin softer than he could ever imagine. Last night was amazing, beyond amazing, perfect. His jealousy might've pushed them into making love, but he doesn't regret it. And by the satiated look on her face, she didn't either.

Shifting he brings her up to rest partially on his chest, snuggling her into him. A sigh escapes her lips and he finds himself melting. Thank god Horatio gave them the day off, because Jesse doesn't think he would want to leave this at all.

Calleigh starts to move and a kiss could be felt on his pec. "Morning to you too."

Smiling, Calleigh stretches with a moan, causing a groan to escape as her body slides against his. His groan turns from deep and sensual, to exasperated in a second however. "What?" She looks up at him.

Teasing the juncture of her neck and shoulder, he smiles apologetically. "I, uh, I kinda gave you a hickey." _That I gave to you on purpose._

Calleigh laughs at his admission and gives him a kiss. "We'll just have matching hickeys then."

_There is a god!_

"You know, I like this side of you. I didn't know you had such a wild side princess."

Her eyes shoot up at his nickname for her. "Princess, oh really?"

"Yea, princess. If you can call me dimples, I will call you princess." A growl from Calleigh causes a chuckle from him.

"Alright then Dimples. A deal is a deal."

"Seal it with a kiss babe. Gotta make it official."

"You drive a hard bargain." Sitting up, Calleigh straddles his chest and their lips meet halfway. Her tongue teases his and he rolls them over, they have a day off, they might as well make the best of it.

Eric sat defeated on his couch, he may have pushed Calleigh too far the night before. Asking her to come back for a night of fun seemed like a good idea. But the minute she told him she moved on, he had lost it. An accusing glare sent her way, as he threw around their past around.

"_Calleigh, it took us seven years to become a thing. And only takes you what, three months to get over us?"_

It was true, how could she just throw everything they had away. She had to have met a new guy, that's what going on. Because there is no way she could've resisted his charm. It was the same charm that would have them running into work barely on time.

Those were the times that Eric found himself missing her even more. But he played with her heart one too many times. But he had to know why his biological father put a hit on him. Had to know what had happened at the moment of his conception.

He felt like all their history should account for something.

But maybe asking so late to be friends with benefits, fuck buddies, or even a late night booty call had been a bead decision.

He'd had sex with many women, and he isn't exaggerating when he says **many**. But Calleigh had this special flare that drove him on faster. He wanted, no he **needed** to pleasure her, prove to her that he wasn't like the other guys.

But in the end he proved not only her but himself that he was. Hell she had a point when she said he proved to be just like Jake, a man he promised himself he'd never be like.

Now Eric lays down alone, Calleigh's presence just a ghost of his memories.


	14. Plenty of Time

**Honestly, I'm debating on whether or not I should kill Jesse off, Her Eyes ended in a pretty dark way so I'm going to test different endings. But here's a new chapter!**

Calleigh walks into the locker room, a bounce in her step. The extra weird case today only added to her joyous mood. A man had been murdered in space, and as tragic as any death is, she had to admit that that was pretty cool.

She and Jesse spent the last two weeks together, reveling in their new found intimacy. That man loved to please, and please he did. He left her utterly boneless, breathless, and speechless. Oh how he teased her endlessly, but she left him just the same. But beside the physical side, their personal sides were starting to appear.

Jesse sworn up and down that she's just an overgrown child, and he her teddy bear. _Yea I like to cuddle, what's wrong with that? _But he himself never rejected her advances, in fact he initiated most of them. He loves to spoil her, making her coffee and breakfast in the morning, and dinner at night. Massaging her after a very stressful case, holding her whenever she needed to be held. To him she was made out of candy glass, and he touched her gently, afraid she'd break. "You're my princess." He always answer, and for once she accepted being treated so gently.

She opened up more, extending the favor by giving him his daily massages, cooking (whenever he allowed her to), and by just being around him more. Jesse had told her how he missed having someone to hold, and with her being the tiny human she is, she's go out of her to cuddle into his lap to provide the extra comfort.

Even though she's thought of it, she's never been able to say it out loud. "It feels right". Maybe because right when she's about to say those words, the relationship crashes and burns. But between all the heartache she and Jesse have, they try to stay on the right path.

Always keeping each other in the loop, Calleigh has heard a lot about Ana. She disagrees with what Jesse is doing but she understands. Horatio and Eric both when beside themselves with revenge after Marisol, an Eric again with his biological father. Horatio just seems hell bent on making any criminal suffer nowadays and she saddens a bit. Calleigh's just glad that Jesse actually talks about it instead of going behind her back.

"You're very cheery." Turning Calleigh sees Natalia stroll into the locker room, a knowing grin plastered on her face. "I could say the same to you Nat" smiling, Calleigh preps herself for a battle of wits.

"Oh girls, please not so early in the morning. Please."

"Shush Ryan, Calleigh and I are talking." Calleigh's eyes widen at the blatant flirting between Natalia and Ryan. Backing out of their conversation Calleigh shakes her head, wondering when the two of them finally got together.

For the past two weeks, Horatio has noticed a certain feeling in the air. Ryan and Natalia seemed to have finally succumbed to their underlying sexual tension. It warms his heart to see something so pure in front of his eyes. This team is his family, and to see them so happy together kept him young at heart.

What surprised him was Jesse and Calleigh. While he could see it happening, he didn't expect it so soon. They were good for each other. Jesse is strong, mature, and could provide for her. While he will always have a place in his heart for Eric, the younger man was volatile, childish and lacked the mental strength. Especially since his shooting.

But seeing Calleigh and Jesse so happy together gives Horatio peace. His old friend and daughter getting together brigs him happiness. Seeing her smile so brightly once again made him giddy. To see everyone joyful and well put, gave him the strength to find his own.

"Sweetheart?"

"Handsome?"

"How've you been?" his smile brightens as hers spreads wider across her face.

"Great, things are looking up. How about you?"

"Amazing, keep up the good work. I know I don't tell you enough, but I want you to know."

Staring at him he sees her eyes water a bit, blinking the tears away she simply states "I love you too. I, I have evidence to look over, but we'll talk later okay?" he gives her a nod and she walks off, an extra bounce in her already springy step.

Maybe, just maybe everything from here on out will get better.

Jesse rolls his shoulders once again, the shower having done very little to ease the pain in his lower back, as fun as the Zero G had been, his body is detesting it now. "Babe, can you give me a massage?" it was redundant at this point seeing as he enjoyed a good back rub every day, but it made his heart swell every time she said yes. "Sure" her reply was less than stellar.

He can tell that something is up with her, but he learned early on that the busier her hands were, the more inclined she was to talk. Settling down as she brought out her scented lotion for his back. "You're going to massage me with that girly smelling lotion?"

"You didn't complain last time." Her voice a hairpin away from a full laugh.

"I was half asleep. But you know what? I don't mind so much."

"Oh really Jesse? You want to know something? I might not give you a massage." Turning as much as his bruise would allow, he faked hurt. "But babe, I was bruised today. I take it back, I love your lotion. It wraps me in a blanket of comfort and warmth."

Laying back down, Jesse lets out a sigh of relief when her small delicate hands ran across his back. He was in a state of bliss until she reached the bruise. "Sorry, sweet cheeks."

"Abuse at the hands of my girlfriend. Tsk, tsk tsk. Shame." He feels her dot kisses across the span of his back. "Sorry."

"You're forgiven princess."

Calleigh slowly inches her way back down to his bruise and her deft little hands work their magic. "Sam's wife and I watched the video he left her before he died." Her voice was so small that he barely heard it.

"How did that go?"

"I didn't know what to say to her. She had said that it was Sam's dream to go into outer space. He spent his earnings on this trip. And he died. That message he left her was full of love, you can see how happy he is. And for that to be just taken away from him…"

Turning around he gathers her into his arms, rubbing her back to provide the comfort she needed. He realizes that she's just being insecure of their relationship and is voicing her worries. "And the worst part was that he had tried to convince the guys that there was a way out. 'There's always a way out'. His catchphrase. Every day we see these cases but it was seeing how he had not a care in the world and still he thought about her, told her he loved her.

"To see her cry tears of joy over his last words, made me realize that there are so many things in life that we overlook. Spending time with loved ones is one of them."

Kisses her hair he cuddles her closer to him "We should spend more time together then, that way we'll be able to be like Sam and his wife." He hadn't realized what he was implying but her pulling away from him had him playing the words back. He doesn't regret saying it, she has to know.

"I mean, not anytime soon obviously. We can take our time with one another. But honestly, I don't plan on having another relationship after us. I don't plan to have an 'after us'" she looks him in the eyes and her mouth drops open. "I know it's too early to be saying this princess, but I'm being honest."

"I know you are. Just as long as we take things slow, it's going to be a long road. But as long as we both plan to have a 'forever us', we'll have to see each other at our worsts." He drops a kiss to her lips and she smiles against him.

"Don't worry princess, we have plenty of time."


	15. Fail

Jesse stayed in Calleigh's arms as he cried, stroking her hand down his back in order to give him extra comfort. He longed for these moments His name has finally been cleared and he is no longer considered a dirty cop. Yet still, it did nothing to comfort him, Tracy was still gone. His own captain made Jesse take the fall and kept the evidence for years now.

"If he hadn't taken the evidence then Tracy would still be alive." His shoulders shook for the thought of his dead wife, murdered in a brutal fashion. "If I had only been paying more attention."

Not knowing what to say she held him closer. He grabbed her and pulled her in, inhaling deeply. His hands found their way beneath her shirt and started to rub her in a small massage. Small and tentative touches across her back and ribcage, gentler than normal, as if making sure she was still real.

Looking up he sees her smiling softly down on him. "Though I suppose if Tracy was still alive I'd be in LA with her, so I guess we can count the small blessings."

"Jesse, I can never replace Tracy." He can hear the implication in her voice.

"And you never will. I'm not with you to replace the heartbreak of Tracy. I can finally move on from all that. My name has been cleared, Enright's in prison, and more importantly you're going to be safe and sound."

"You know, when the address for the bugged popped up in the garage I immediately knew it was you. Walter wanted to know if I wanted backup and I told him no. I knew you weren't going to hurt me."

"Then why did you back away from me when I took a step closer?" he hadn't meant to be so hostile but it had hurt him to see her take a step back as he reached for her.

"I didn't mean to do that. In my head I was detaching myself from you and so I treated you like a suspect. I'm sorry that I hurt you, I've never meant to make you feel this way."

Nostrils flaring he looks her dead in the eye. "I could've used ALL your support. But seeing you practically afraid of me hurt." She moves her hand towards him and he backs up. She looks down ashamed before lifting her teary eyes towards him. And his heart breaks.

"Princess." He holds his arms open and she flies into him. "I told you everything okay? You know everything there is to know about Enright."

She nuzzles into his neck and he has to concentrate on what she is saying. "I trust you."

To him, that is almost exciting as her saying she loves him. _Almost._

"Don't you ever worry princess. I'm never going to hurt you. I won't fail you like I did Tracy."

Calleigh picked her head up from his neck. How could Jesse think he failed Tracy? "You didn't fail her. From what you've told me, she loved you dearly. You did your best and sometimes things we don't like happens to us. We don't have control over what happens around us. We just take it in stride and make the best of each situation.

"Tracy knew how much you loved her, and I'm sure she doesn't blame you for what happened to her, so you shouldn't either."

"How do you know that?" his answer is childish but he needs to hear. "From what you told me about her. She's down to earth and believes in ying and yang. As realistic and as you have said many times, calculating, the only person she could possibly blame for her death is the man who killed her."

"You think?"

"I know. And besides I wouldn't blame you."

Nuzzling into her Jesse carries them to her bedroom, placing them down gently he puts her to sit on his lap. Wrapping his arms around her, he leans back on the headboard and breathes her in. the vanilla doing wonders to his state of being. To see her back away from him hurt deeply. It was if she didn't trust him to make the right decision. Their entire relationship is built with trust as their foundation.

But to hear her say she trust him gives him more hope. Even though it is way too early to be thinking it. _Way to early Cardoza._ He planned on making an honest woman out of her. And he planned on making sure she stays as happy as she can possibly be.

"You can never fail me Jesse." Calleigh leans her back heavier against his chest. He kisses her hair and Calleigh melts into him. Laying her on her stomach Jesse caress her back in gentle movements. Lulling her into a state of peace. "You could never hurt me." and it was true. Had he not told her what he's been up to she would've broken off the relationship or at least had them spend some time apart.

She knew the latter was more efficient for them. Spending some time apart would definitely had been the right choice **had** he not told her. But he did and he still tells her things now. So that counts for something. And that's the biggest thing that makes the difference between Jesse and her old flames.

Just as she starts to drift off her doorbell rings. "Oh please no." she begrudgingly gets up and makes her way down the stairs and to her front door.

"Hey Calleigh." The last person she wants to see, is standing at her door.

"Eric."

"Can I come in?" she steps to the side and offers a glass of water.

Sitting down and takes a slow gulp before starting. "I know that I was out of line when I asked if you wanted to come back to my place. I just want some semblance of what we used to share."

Offended Calleigh starts. "Some semblance? This isn't you trying to get back with me. This is you trying to get the physical side of our relationship back." Giving her a cocky grin he moves closer. "We had so much fun Calleigh, actually not enough."

"Excuse me?"

"What I mean is we only had sex about what two maybe three times a week if even. And each time we did it was amazing. Look right now I'm not looking for another relationship, not after us baby. But maybe if we get the physical side going back up, the emotional side will appear as well."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Eric, as _tempting _as that sounds. I'm going to pass it. I'm not a late night booty call and I refuse to be. I'm not getting any younger, I want to start a family soon, and obviously you're not going to be able to help support me through that. We have two different agendas and they're going to clash. If you're not in 110% then you don't need to be in it at all." Shaking her head she gets up, putting space between the two of them.

Eric gets up with a huff. "I don't want children any time soon Calleigh. I'm not ready for a family."

"Then you're not ready for me. We tried Eric, we did. But things happened and we separated. It is for the best. And you know what Eric? You'll never be ready for me. I'm happy now, happier than I've ever been."

His anger starts to show and she can see his jaw set. "So you did find another man? Is he here?" he takes a step towards her staircase and she steps in front of him. "Yes I did. And yes he's here. It's ten o'clock, and we're both about to go to bed."

"Okay then. I guess you two can have fun." Calleigh heard him cursing under his breath and he all but slammed his car door and drove off in a hurry.


	16. If You Want

Jesse and Calleigh sit across from each other at a diner. Calleigh the one recommending it due to her random craving for a good burger. "You think H will be fine?" he asks hesitantly. As close as he and Horatio are, he did leave to California over 12 years ago.

"Yea, he's seeing Kyle off for his next tour. Horatio is resilient. As long as we're there for him you know. I talked to him before he left. He said that only time can heal this particular wound. But knowing him he'll just brood until the next big case." Calleigh shrugs her shoulder and once again Jesse sits to wonder.

It doesn't surprise him that she went to Horatio, she knows the man is upset and they have such a close relationship that if you were to see them outside of work you would've thought they were proud father and daughter.

She is such a feeling woman, who has to be cold due to her being at the top of her field in this "man's world". He's been blessed to see her be as soft as she can be. At first it surprised him, seeing her at work and at home _(whether it be mine or hers). _At work she'll care and understand at a professional level, preferring to stay in the background and keep a keen eye on everything. But at home she cares at a more personal level.

Her entire demeanor changes, going from stoic to relaxed, it's like her face goes from almost robotic to beyond human. Jesse notices how much she actually picks up on, and while the rest of the team you can tell what they might say, she is a guessing game. She'd rather sit back and let things unravel, instead of forcing results and Jesse loves that about her.

Watching her dip a fry into her ketchup has him on edge once again. She keeps a good physique, and it surprises him time and time again when he sees her munching on a wide array of snacks and a whole pint of ice cream.

"You're doing it again." She says, wrenching out of his daze. Cheeks burning he gives her a dimpled smile and feigns innocence. "Do what?"

Raising her eyebrows she shakes her head. "In a playful mood are we? Staring Jesse. You were staring at me."

"Sorry, but not really. Just amazed at you sometimes can't help but stare. As long as H says he's fine, I'll believe you. Though not in any disrespect, I'll ask him tomorrow."

"Oh, okay then Dimples. I see someone is also being sassy." She giggles and he finds himself mesmerized by that sound. She doesn't giggle often, but when she does it's enchanting. He chuckles alongside with her and they finish their meal in comfortable silence.

"I can't believe she set her husband on fire." Ryan states, Natalia looks up to see him watching the news. Nodding Natalia could see where he is coming from. "On one hand Ry, she wanted the best for her daughter and seeing him try to set her child on fire must've been the final straw. But on the other she could've reported him to the police or try some other way to try and stop the arranged marriage."

"Let's just agree to let our child find his or her own lover. I am not a fan of arranged marriages." Ryan turns the TV off and they find themselves staring at each other. "So we're agreeing on having children?"

Ryan nods vigorously. "I want five at most!"

"Five! Jesus you're not the one carrying them around Ryan! And besides, I only want three at most." Ryan kisses her forehead. "That's boring, but if that's what you want we can settle on four."

Breaking away Natalia shakes her head. "Why don't we get started, I'm not getting any younger and neither are you." She moves to straddle his lap, planting kisses along his jaw.

"If that's what you want Nat, if that's what you want."


	17. No Barriers

**(AN: I kind of pushed the timeline up a bit. Based off of Spring Breakdown.)**

Jesse sits on the beach watching the sunset with Calleigh sitting between his legs, both clad in shorts and tanks. He remembers back in high school when there was a sex scandal, but it had not been nearly as bad as what those three did to that poor girl.

"You think Courtney was just in her action?" he asks, just as the pinks and oranges met in the sky. Calleigh leans back into his chest and he feels her shrug against him. "They did make an embarrassing sex tape with her. And she was ignored by everyone when she tried to look for help after the fact. She was right for her want for revenge, but to do all this planning.

"Massive weight loss, exercising, putting your body through unnecessary stress just to end up in prison. To kill people. It's not right. Not fair for anyone." Shaking her head Calleigh nuzzles her nose into the side of Jesse's neck.

He nods, she had been the most affected out of all of them. He wasn't the one that had to pull a girl from washing machine. "Thrown out like trash Jesse, she was thrown out like trash."

Running his hand along her thigh he squeezes her in a tight hug. "We caught the killers that's all that matters. Some people just feel lost. They don't know how to handle themselves and so they obsess over the pain until it explodes. Some people don't get lucky like Courtney and have to end the pain by getting rid of it. Others, like me, have other resources."

She sits up and looks him in the eye, clearly confused. "Like what?"

Smiling he pulls her in for a passionate kiss. "Like you Princess. Since getting together you've helped lessen the pain I felt. You've lifted the weight on my shoulders. Even carrying it alongside with me. I never imagined that I could find even a fraction of what I had with Tracy ever again. But you, you give me more. I loved Tracy, to death. But you've helped me move on from her and now we can have a happy life together.

"Two years of carrying around her death and in nine months, you have managed to help me get rid of the guilt and depression. I can't even thank you enough. To me you're more than just my girlfriend or even my lover. You mean so much more to me than I can even tell you." Tears make their way down his cheek and she reaches over and wipes them away. Ignoring her own tears.

"I'm glad I am here to help you. You mean so much to me too. Never before have I been in deep relationship such as this one. Before you, I would never think to say these things 'so soon' because there is no time limit for us. When you told me we have plenty of time, I believed you, still believe you. I know that I can trust you no matter what, and I will never doubt or question you.

"I want to thank you for that. Because never before have I been in such a stable relationship. Even when we fight, about whatever, you keep a level head and we end up taking it out. I want to thank you for everything you've possibly given me." their lips meet once again and they end up in each other's arms. Love pouring out with each swipe of their tongue and each pass of their lips. They didn't have to say the words, not yet anyway. But he knows that she loves him, he knows that he loves her and most importantly she knows the same.

Standing, he pulls her up and they make the short walk to his house from the beach. Kicking their shoes off at the door he brings her into the bedroom, clothes dropping along the way. Finally she lay naked on his bed and he finds himself falling harder. _She wants me, and I want her. This is perfect._

Reaching over he pulls out a condom only for her to stop him. "I don't want any barriers between us Jesse. I want just us." His heart swells and he throws the condom back down with a new purpose. Climbing over her, he makes sure that she is properly and utterly cared for. Enjoying the feel of her below him, enjoying the sounds she makes as he pleasures her.

They lay intimately entwined with one another, a cool sheen of sweat casting a glow about them. Calleigh's head is pressed against his chest and her head resting in the crook of his neck while she sleeps. Jesse nuzzles into her and finds her deep even breathing comforting. Everything he could ever want is right here besides him, practically tucked underneath him. He was home with her, his Princess. And he knows that he doesn't want to be anywhere else.

**(AN: We all know what episodes next… Backfire! Not too excited about it, but I know it's too big of an episode to skip over.)**


	18. Heart Attack

Jesse packed Calleigh and his bag before heading out for the hospital. Once again she had fallen prey to the smoke from the burning house yesterday and that little stunt she pulled by leaving the hospital isn't sitting well with him.

The staff nod as he weaves his way through the corridors, having already been notified of their situation. He bumps smack right into Eric as the man rushes out of Calleigh's room, obviously upset. "You okay man?" Jesse asks, Calleigh must've kicked him out.

"What are you doing here Cardoza?" Eric is livid. His nose flaring and jaw set. Raising his eyebrows Jesse holds up the duffel bag of his and Calleigh's clothes. "Calleigh asked me to get her some clothes as well as her laptop since she's going to be here a while" he throws in a shoulder shrug for extra dramaticism. _Dramaticism? Is that even a word…no. Whatever. _He shrugs his shoulders again for even more… drama. _Great Cardoza, I must look like a noob._

Seeing Eric's face Jesse knew that he isn't buying it. "Well, there are her clothes, you look like you're going to stay a while"

Eric stands looking the shorter man down. He could just be a friend and do Calleigh a favor. But then why is he here so late, especially since visiting hours were over half an hour ago. _Could this be the guy Calleigh's seeing?_

"Well yea Delko. Calleigh asked me to come later on, so here I am. I got caught up with wrapping up the case at the lab so I could only come now. Excuse me. I'm pretty sure Calleigh's going to be bored without her stuff." Eric watches as the man evades him and walks into Calleigh's room. Immediately her eyes brighten and her smile is wide. Shaking his head, Eric decides that he's going to look more into Cardoza.

He knew him from back in the day but only in passing. Trailing behind Horatio during a case, while Eric towed a car away. Cardoza seems nice enough but you could never be too sure. Calleigh couldn't possibly be dating him, could she?

_No way she'd ever think of dating that man. Jesse is waaaay too soft. She's needs a man that can take care of her. A man that can supply for her, make her feel loved, and most importantly… keep her safe. _

Cardoza couldn't even protect his late wife, how could he protect someone as precious as Calleigh. But looking into her room. It is painfully obvious that Calleigh is happy. Maybe Jesse is the reason she told him to go home.

But how in the hell could he leave? He saw her flat line, was there when she woke up. How could that not count for anything? And where the fuck was Cardoza? Shaking his head he walks off, maybe the drive home can clear his mind.

While Calleigh changes, Jesse sits on her hospital bed fingering her sheets. Sighing, he lets his heart settle. They spent the night apart for the first time after three weeks since that night on the beach. If he had known about the call going straight to Calleigh he would've stopped her from going out to the scene.

He remembered the dread he felt when he heard Calleigh got wheeled off to the hospital. Ryan looked at him with sorrow. Ryan couldn't stop apologizing, muttering about how stupid he was for letting her into the house. _Yea it was stupid Wolfe!_

But he couldn't just blame Ryan, the kid had no chance going up against Calleigh. And so for most of the day, Jesse pushed his anger to the back of his mind. But all it did was fester into this burning hot rage. Eric questioning him an hour ago didn't help his mood either.

Looking up just as Calleigh steps out, he couldn't hide his anger. He pats the bed and he practically tucks her in. she turns her head, teary eyes meeting his angry glare. He runs a hand through her hair and settles it on her cheek. "I'm sorry."

He shakes his head. "You're not getting away that easy Princess. What you did earlier today was stupid. Yea Ryan shouldn't've let you into the house, but I know for a fact that he tried to stop you on many occasions. You pulled your seniority."

"I covered my mouth with a cloth." She offers lamely. _Why does she have to be so cute? I'm supposed to be admonishing her._

"Princess." He pushes hard to keep his face angry, but she's doing **that** pout that always does him in. _But not today, and not now._

"No. That adorable face of yours is not going to get you out of this. I know you wanted to help that boy, I know you wanted to get to him. But you **knew **he wasn't going to make it, instead of letting the firefighters get him, you risked it yourself. I praise you for doing it, don't get me wrong." His tone is harsh, harsher than he meant but she had to know. He sees her tear up and she turns her back to him.

"I wanted to save him." He can hear the tears in her voice, he could feel her despair rolling off her in waves.

"You can't save everyone baby." He softens his tone. She turns and stares him down, eyes blazing despite the tears. "I know that Jesse. I just couldn't leave him there. I don't know what it was, but I couldn't leave him there. I was thinking about what his parents might think. Only for him not to have parents. Only to find out his grandfather is the only one left. And he was the one that killed Patrick."

She reaches for him and he gathers her into his arms. "Princess, but you can't keep risking your life in such dangerous ways. You can help out, but it won't do much if you get hurt in the process."

"I visited Officer Montoya, she just had a few scrapes and burns. But they are releasing her tomorrow morning." Her voice is shaky and he knows that the waterworks have yet to come.

"That's good. But remember, you'll be here for another week. And then you stay home for another two."

"And desk duty for another week I know Jesse." She snuggles in deeper and he lays them both down on her hospital bed.

"Seeing you hooked up to all those machines killed me. I thought that this might be it. That you might not wake up, that you would die." He couldn't keep from choking up and she squeezes him as hard as her weakened body would allow. "You were so pale, you're still pale. But it was worse before. You're so tiny princess, the machines swallowed you whole. I could barely hold myself all day.

"I see what they mean by performance problems. I had to force myself to focus, and every time my mind strayed to you, in that hospital bed, dying. It hurt you know." His voice cracks and he allows himself to cry.

There is no way in hell she's leaving him. _She can't leave me. _"The whole day. I just reminded myself of all of our time together. That was the only thing that kept me going."

Calleigh sits up and she plants a kiss on his lips. Taking him into her arms as he cries. He couldn't even have described it as crying, it was more like bawling. His chest heaves with each breath and the tears kept coming.

He felt her hands run up and down his back and feeling her against him, hearing her voice calms him down. She was in his arms, or rather him in hers. And alive, breathing evenly, calmly. Needing the extra reassurance he grabs her swiftly back into his arms and cradles her. He gives a chaste kiss to her lips and she smiles at him.

"No more fires, you hear me princess?" he nuzzles her neck and she nods.

"No more fires dimples."

"I don't care if we are at a barbeque and you want a steak fresh off the grill, any ounce of smoke is a no go. If I have to light a match, move back twenty feet." He chuckles as she giggles. His heart lifts.

"I promise. No more fires, no smoke, no superheated air, no flames." She smiles against his neck and he smiles through the tears.

"Don't forget if one of us burns a meal." He feels himself loosening up as they joke around. He had been scared shitless and he thought he had failed her.

Even when she told him he could never do such a thing. The thought was still in his mind. What if he wasn't there for her and she died, just like Tracy?

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you woke up, or when your heart stopped and they revived you."

"You were busy with the case, Horatio was a CSI down. You needed to be where you were. You're here now Jesse, that's all that matters." She settles down and just like that, the combination of stress from the whole day, the medicine, and him running a soothing hand down her back lulls her to sleep and Jesse follows suit after another hour of watching her chest move up and down.

**(AN: Eric's a dick! But whatever.)**


	19. Work

It's been a week since Calleigh's been released from the hospital and if Jesse thought she was stubborn and a handful then, she is a bull shark now. Shaking his head, he stares down at the evidence, the only case since it seems to be a slow day. Even Walter joking around can't relieve his tension.

Ryan and Natalia sit across from him, giggling and talking amongst themselves. Calleigh had told them that they seem to have finally gotten together, and right now they're confirming what she said. "So how's Calleigh?" Jesse turns to Walter's booming voice.

Ryan looks up as Calleigh's name is mentioned. They all took turns at Calleigh's hospital bedside, but Jesse seemed a little too enthusiastic to do so. Looking at Natalia they share a knowing look. They have been pushing around ideas of Jesse and Calleigh being together for weeks. And it seems that they were right.

"Yea, she was like a kid hyped up on sugar. Bouncing off the walls of the hospital. She had no choice but to be there. But now that's she's out, how is she?"

Ryan isn't blind to Jesse's smile, it was the same smile Ryan wore whenever Natalia is being Natalia. "Honestly guys. She's driving me insane. This morning I stopped by and she kept questioning me about any cases. That's what it's like most days actually. She pushes and pushes for information. Then she tries to get me to let her come in." Ryan joins Walter in laughing.

"Calleigh sounds like she's putting you to work." Walter laughs harder.

"Yea, I was there last night and she's rearranging her furniture! She's moving bookcases, by herself and even pulling apart her kitchen. I had to sit her down and force her to watch tv, while I fixed everything back."

"Well, let's all come over tonight. She would be glad for some company, is that alright?" Natalia asks.

"Of course it is. She must be bored of just seeing me all day."

"I'm definitely in. And we know Walt has no life."

"Haha Wolfe. But you're right."

Later that night before any of the guys gets there, Jesse and Calleigh are sat in the kitchen.

"Princess, take your meds." He stares her down as she sits on the counter, pills and water in hand.

"They make me too sleepy." She pouts and Jesse finds his resolve crumbling. _It's for her best interests Jesse, relax._

He wasn't lying when he told the team she's driving him insane. He can deal with Calleigh, but a pent up Calleigh is a different story. "I know, but by the time they hit, the guys will be gone. So just take them now." He understands what she's going through. But looking at the difference then and now, he knows she can relapse anytime soon. He braces himself for a fight, but surprisingly none comes. She dips her head back and takes the meds without another word. "I just hate being this weak. I feel like I have no control over myself."

"You're getting over a traumatic experience. Of course you're going to be weak. But trust me when I say you're getting better. You're heart stopped babe. Your body needs to relax. Today is Friday, we have the whole weekend together. Want to go to the beach?"

She shakes her head. "No, I just want to stay in with you." She rests her head against his chest and he runs his hands through her smooth hair. "Then we'll stay in. you go back to work in a week. I want you at 110%. You're getting better, don't rush anything." She nods against him.

"Oh and by the way, Eric is coming tonight. He heard of our little get together."

She looks at him and nods her head. Wrapping her arms around him their lips meet in a slow kiss, only being broken apart due to the bell ringing.

With a chaste kiss, Calleigh hops off the counter "I'll get it." She runs to the door and Jesse is careful to watch to see if she's experiencing any dizzy spells. Satisfied he goes to sit on her couch.

Eric rings her doorbell, he decides to show up half an hour early so that he and Calleigh could have some alone time. He plans on asking her about where they stood as a couple and if she wants to get back with him.

She confirmed to seeing another man outright, but maybe he can convince her to let him go and get back together. Because Eric knows that no one could possibly treat Calleigh better than himself.

She answers the door and immediately Eric is thrown back into a memory of her doing the same when they were together. Except she isn't wearing a dinner dress, she has on sweats and a spaghetti top that hugged her breasts in all the right places. "Come on in." she pulls him inside and she runs off into her kitchen, hips swaying and curves dancing in their own little rhythm.

Stepping in he's about to say something cocky and smooth until he sees Jesse sitting comfortably on her couch. He quickly hides his snare and follows Calleigh into her kitchen. "Since when were you so close to Cardoza Calleigh?"

She turns to look at him and he recognizes that glare. She's angry at him. "What's going on between him and me is between him and me."

"So the two of you are a thing? Why? Is he a distraction? Because that's the only way I can see you two together." She stares him down and this time her voice gives off her anger.

"Don't even go there Eric. You're the one that wants me to be your booty call. I'm not for that. I told you already that I'm looking to settle down."

"Yea, but with Cardoza? Come on. I thought you liked your men with a little more edge. Isn't Cardoza too soft for you?"

"Jesse isn't 'too' anything for me Eric. I'm a grown woman I can make my own choices thank you." Without another word he follows her into her living room. Jesse is surfing through Netflix and looks like he heard all the conversation going on but is choosing to ignore it.

Calleigh grabs her favorite blanket, and cuddles herself next to Jesse on the couch. As if it were routine, Jesse's arms wounds its way around her waist and draws her closer to him. Eric couldn't keep himself from staring even if he tried. Jealousy rolled off him in waves and it grew when he sees Calleigh relax and practically melts into Jesse.

Before it could fester over, the doorbell rings and everyone else arrives.

**(AN: it's not that I dislike Eric. It's just that I never see his jealous side portrayed anymore, and he is quite the green monster whenever Calleigh is involved.)**


	20. Conditioned Insecurities

**(AN: Before you guys read this, I want you to know that I love Eric. It's just fun to have a "bad guy", and sadly he fell into that category by default.)**

Calleigh lay down on Jesse's chest later that night. She is feeling especially bad about today's events. From missing a key piece of evidence, to Jake's return to the stolen diamonds. Sitting up, she faces a worried looking Jesse.

"Do you think I came back too soon?" he stares her down and she finds herself shrinking.

"No. Why? Do you?" his voice is riddled with sleep and she feels bad for keeping him up. "I missed the VIN plate, I put my kit down right in front of it." He rubs his thumb across her cheek and she leans into his touch.

"You were nervous and excited about starting a new case. No, you came back right on time. And after a week of desk duty I'm pretty sure your mind had to shift." Smiling she nods her head and lays back down. Jesse's hands slip underneath her shirt and caress her back in a calming matter.

"I took Jake to the hospital to get checked out." she feels him tense a bit before relaxing.

"Is he okay?" his answer stuns her and she starts laughing. He looks down at her and she can see his quirked eyebrows.

"I told Eric that, and he gets jealous. Saying 'It's not about him and me, but the lab'. I tell you and you ask about Jake's wellbeing." Shaking her head she settles back down. "You're perfect."

Jesse laughs alongside with her. He had no need to be jealous. He trusted Calleigh without a doubt in his mind. He knows she would never do something as stupid as cheat on him.

"How else did you expect me to react?" sitting up she follows suit. "Well Jesse, the small part of me thought you were going to be extremely jealous and act out." "And the bigger part?"

"The bigger part told me that you'd be you. Sweet and gentle. Completely understanding in the way that only you can be." Nodding he sighs and rolls his shoulders. "Thanks princess."

He sees Calleigh eyeing him and he turns his head towards her. He didn't mean to sound so harsh, but after a day like today, coupled with her sidelined injury, he was tired. "Lay down Jesse." Turning fully he stares her down. "Lay down, on your stomach."

Following her orders he lays down, she leaves the bed for a second before returning. "I haven't given you a massage in forever. Actually I've been selfish, how have you been?"

He feels her hands work their magic and he finds himself relaxing. He wouldn't say she was being selfish, she's sick and he just made sure she was and is comfortable. He even bought her a yogibo body pillow, which he was resting his head on. Taking a deep breath he smells their mixing scent. If anything he's been spoiling her for the past month. Her getting better is the most important thing to him, not his feelings.

"Overworked and overstressed if anything." he moans as she works at a knot in his lower back.

"Because you guys have to cover for me?"

"No, because we had to pick up due to your leave of absence." He smiles at her chuckle.

"We said the same thing."

"But mine sounded a lot more positive" Jesse shoots a smile back her way and she shakes her head.

She continues to work his back and he dips his head in pleasure, barely catching her inquiry about the stolen diamonds. "Honestly, I have NO idea who could've stolen them. I'm set financially and so are you. So I don't see why either of us would take them. Whoa, go back down." She hits between his shoulder blades and he's in heaven.

"Well if that's the case then maybe we should look out for someone who isn't financially set. Or maybe someone looking for revenge. We've had this before, someone trying to sabotage us. Back when Natalia first started she had been spying on us and reporting to the FBI. Turns out Monica West a DA, stole money to kick start an investigation."

He had heard about that, but chose to not be offended. Natalia was just doing her job, and if the lab can look past it, especially Calleigh, then he can too. He only offers a nod, mood still somber.

He had heard the conversation between Eric and Calleigh a week ago, and he had distanced himself from the both of them, despite looking out for Calleigh. Choosing to shift the conversation more on her instead of him. But now she cornered him and he has nowhere to go so he decides silence is the best answer.

She kneads his shoulders and he feels her hair tickle its way up his back. "What's bothering you babe?" she whispers into his ear. Sighing he rolls her over and sits up, back resting on the headboard. "What do you mean Calleigh?"

She shoots him a disbelieving look "I mean, the last week you've been distant and whenever I ask how you've been you shift focus on me. How have YOU been?"

Looking into her eyes he knows he's fighting a losing battle and gives up. "I uh… I heard you and Eric. And he got me thinking. Got me thinking that I'm not good enough for you. That I won't be able to protect you or care for you the way anyone even he can."

Obviously startled her eyes water. Turning away because he knows now that Eric was right. _I'm making my princess cry._ As right and as beautiful as their relationship is, Jesse can't help but feel this way.

Especially since Eric's reentered the picture, the last month chiding and repeatedly telling Jesse how much of a screw up he's been. The last week had been the worse. Every day he saw Eric, Eric made sure to point out the fact that he and Calleigh have known each other for over a decade. And if Jesse is done being her distraction for Eric to come back and claim her.

Eric had to be right. _Right?_

Looking at princess and the tears that make its way down her face confirms his fears. She must think he's being a baby. Too soft to do anything and too mild to say anything. She must think of him as weak. Especially when it comes to protecting her.

Eric is right, how could he protect and care for her when he himself hasn't been through most of those things with her. He wasn't there for her kidnapping, or the canal incident, Hagan's suicide, or her father's mishaps. Eric had been, and he stood by her. Jesse wasn't even there when her heart had stopped, she woke up to Eric's face not his.

Turning, Jesse moves to get up but her hand stops him. "Where are you going?"

"Home."

"Why?" he turns at her high pitched, tear laden voice.

"Because obviously Eric is right. I can't take care of you like he can. He's five times the man that I'll ever be. And you don't deserve someone like me weighing you down. Causing you to second guess yourself. I know I'm just a distraction until Eric gets his act together. I put up this confident front around you so you don't have to worry. But I can't do it anymore." He turns to leave again and this time she pulls him to look at her.

"Jesse, don't ever say that again. Do you understand me? Eric, Eric's in the past. He's living in the past. He's using our history together to shake you. He knows what points to hit because of how much of a feeling man you are.

"And if you heard our conversation, you would've heard me say you're not too anything for me. You're perfect. Yea you're soft, you're the biggest softy I know. But you're my softy and I love you for it. Eric was way too forceful, always treating me like an award, showing me off in the light as if I was some type of trophy.

"You treat me right. You make me feel like a rare jewel, every time you hold me. You make me feel worth everything you have. Not once have you made me feel like I was just arm candy."

He feels the tears slip and she keeps him from wiping them off. She folds herself into his lap and presses kiss after kiss on his chest. "When I was in the hospital three weeks ago, you barely went home. You took care of me and made sure I was comfortable. And I know you feel bad for not being there when they had to resuscitate me. But that doesn't matter. You were out in the field trying to solve Patrick's murder. And you're here with me now. Not Eric. And this is how it's going to be from now on."

He holds her tight against his chest, hoping what she was saying is true. He loves the woman in his hands and he's trying hard to show her. "But…"

"But nothing. Eric is just being jealous. He always had to show off that he's more masculine. He acts as if he always has something to prove. But compared to you, Eric means very little to me. He's just a good friend. While you are my everything. You know more about me than he does, despite us being friends for a long time. And you have my heart. More than he has ever had."

Nodding he allows himself to relax. Looking back he realizes how much he's been there for Calleigh. Always helping her get through tough situations and being there for her when she needs the reassurance.

"You aren't being weak Jesse, you're always comforting me, let me comfort you." The tears continue to make their way down his face and from her sniffles he knows that's she's crying too. "I get what you're saying princess. But, how do you know I won't be able to protect and satisfy you."

Eric had made sure to point out that Calleigh and he had an amazing sex life. Years of sexual tension allowed for some very explosive sex between the two. And Jesse felt a little discontented with that. He and Calleigh hadn't made love since her accident, and she hasn't pushed for them to do so.

"As for the protecting part, we have very dangerous jobs. No one can tell if today will be their last day. But so far, you've done an amazing job. You admonished me like I was a small child for leaving the hospital! Eric just complained. You went out of your way to make sure I had enough entertainment and I know that I was a pain from being cooped up for so long. You must've been insane for the last month, but you stuck by me.

"Now the satisfying me part. I hope you know that whatever Eric said, he must've hyped it up. The first week or two all we did was have sex" his intake of breath caused her to chuckle before continuing.

"But that was from years of sexual tension, when we got past that honeymoon phase, our sex life was a little below average. We only had sex twice or maybe three times a week if even. I just didn't feel the drive." His eyebrows raise. _The bastard lied to me? That's less than half the amount of sex princess and I have. But even then, it's more like we make love._

"We on the other hand barely even have 'sex' maybe a quickie in the morning before work. We make love almost 12 times a week. And we've been together for what?"

"Almost a year. Three weeks to go." He chuckles.

"So stop worrying about what Eric says and come straight to me. I'll talk to him about it. But know that I love you the way you are." He tenses and she kisses his chest once again. "And now I'm completely stroking your ego, but he only has managed to make me come once each round. I never really was in the mood and had to fake a few."

He looks down at her and she smiles up at him. "You haven't done that with me have you?"

She laughs and it's melodic. "No Jesse I haven't." releasing a sigh he feels all his worries go down the drain. He protects and cares for her as well as satisfies her. Eric is just trying to psych him out just as he thought before. But hearing it almost every day made a small part of Jesse believe it was true.

Jesse isn't a distraction, he's here to stay. And he isn't too anything for Calleigh. She loves him just the way he is… _wait wait wait wait wait. WHAT!_

"I'm sorry princess. Did you just say?"

"That I love you, yea, twice actually."

"That's literally the most nonchalant way I have ever heard someone tell their significant other that they love them."

"But I do." He starts laughing and shakes his head. _Oh my god she's going to kill me._

"I get that but…"

"You were expecting fireworks. We can still have the fireworks."

He must look like a fish out of water, gasping for words to say.

"Just say it Dimples."

"I love you too." He gives her a goofy grin and she kisses his lips.

"Great, now that the air is clear. My doctor says that cardio is a great way to ensure my lungs don't act up."

"I was there when he said that princess." He missed her flirtatious tone and look, still in shock over their confessions. Rolling her eyes she trails kisses along his jawline. And he chuckles deeply as he realizes the implications of her words. "OH! Well in that case. You promised fireworks, so you'll get them."

Rolling her over, he proves to not only her, but to himself that she is real and that all of his earlier insecurities were complete bullshit.


	21. Some Team

Ryan and Natalia sit in layout, overlooking the evidence from the abusive mother's murder from a week ago, to present in the court room. "It's terrible you know. That poor boy is going to be in prison for the rest of his life. All because he snapped." Natalia nods her head in agreement. Looking at the pictures on the table Natalia can't help but be saddened.

"He won't be in for long though, they'll release him when he's eighteen. He probably won't even make it to prison." They look up at Calleigh's voice. "How can you be so sure Calleigh?" Ryan asks.

"He's a good kid, whose mother abused and even killed a previous child. The jury is going to take pity on him. No way is he getting tried as an adult." She takes a seat and they set out on finishing paperwork and cataloging the evidence. Calleigh's phone rings and she excuses herself from the room, an annoyed look on her face.

"Trouble in paradise you think?" Natalia teases.

"No, because Jesse is right across the hall, and he seems fine, probably some paperwork. But that aside, what do you want to do later tonight? We haven't done anything raunchy lately." He wiggles his eyebrows and she finds herself laughing controllably.

"That's because we have Stetler breathing up our asses. Now will you please get back to this, Walter has to go in for us." Nodding they reassess the evidence for another two hours. Happy with their work they settle in for what they hoped would be a smooth day.

Until the call came. _Fucking Delko!_

He and Natalia were settled in DNA just talking about anything. Their relationship hit a new milestone and everyday Ryan felt the weight of the ring in his pocket grow heavier. The last year with Natalia made him realize that he had waited too long,_ far too long, _and that she needed to be wearing this ring right now.

He planned on asking her tonight but it seems like Delko had other plans, and now they have to pretty much dedicate their lives to finding out who stole the diamonds and who in MDPD is dirty.

"Nevins is dead Eric! You have to come clean." Natalia all but screamed at Eric.

"Come clean about what?" Calleigh walks up to them, followed by Walter, Ryan and then Jesse.

"She should know, she deserves to know."

Calleigh looks between her and Delko, confusion written clearly on her face, on all their faces.

"Nevins had me wearing a wire." The whole team gasps and Calleigh's face hardens.

"A wire Delko! Is that why you've been all buddy buddy with all of us?" Walter is beyond angry.

"This is why I was meeting Rebecca. It isn't just about the diamonds, drugs and even cars have gone missing. And there is no trace of either of those things. Someone in the lab is dirty and Rebecca wanted me to find out." lame excuse after lame excuse leaves Eric's mouth.

"So you were spying on us?" Walter obviously is mad.

"It's not that simple walt…" Natalia starts

"And you, you knew about this too. Some team" Walter walks off defeated. Eric offers excuse after excuse and Natalia knows that Calleigh will put him in his place.

They all were staring at the bomb parts, the garage full of evidence and not enough investigators. Natalia's neck has been tensing and tightening at random occurrences. Ryan reaches over and massages her neck and she thanks him. "We're getting nowhere fast Ryan."

"We'll figure it out."

Calleigh sat in the hummer with Eric, trying to trace where the GPS had first started. "I guess I'm not getting back into your good graces." She stares him down. _Was he always this idiotic?_

"No, Eric you're not. What you did to Jesse the past months have been very idiotic."

"Oh so he's complaining? Can't take the heat?" he chuckles obviously at Jesse's expense.

"No, he just couldn't take the hostile working environment anymore. I am a senior officer and he had the right to come to me. One more complaint and we have to file."

"Really Calleigh? I was joking, at least half joking." Eric shakes his head. _I should've known that Cardoza would bitch and whine to Calleigh. _

"It doesn't matter Eric because after everything, even if I did decide you were **worth** another shot, this whole wire thing would've ended all your hopes. But that aside, I'm with Jesse not you. So you can stop trying to break him down, because I'm going to be there to pick him back up." she turns her head, deciding that their conversation isn't worth anymore.

She drops her head as she looks at the destination.

**(AN: Part 1 of Time Bomb episode!)**


	22. Fraternization

Natalia watches in abject horror as patrol carelessly dumps and moves Ryan's things in order to search for the diamonds. Calleigh's words of helping to exonerate Ryan ring through her head, but before she could completely calm herself down, she hears Ryan screaming outside. He comes in with a startled Calleigh and is glad for once about how close they were.

The two of them were like brother and sister and to see Calleigh calm him down a bit is nice. But Ryan being Ryan couldn't help but make those quick and snappy retorts about Eric and Walter.

Her pride however is short lived as Eric finds the diamonds inside his stereo. Ryan looks to her for reassurance but she is sure that he is only finding the mirrored panic her felt swimming in her eyes as well.

Ryan leans his head against the locker room, putting todays events behind him. _Or at least I could if they hadn't TRASHED my house! _In the end Eric did help them out and even protected them, but the betrayal still stuck. He heard heels click and he knew immediately who's those were.

"_I don't know." _

Her words echoed through his head. At the time he knew she had been scoping out his reaction, because Calleigh isn't stupid. When she had said those words he relaxed, she didn't know. And that was a good thing. It meant that she was on his side, that she hadn't turned her back on him.

Of course no one else on the team did, but it meant so much more coming from her. she had always looked out for him. **Always. **She kept a close eye on him after his kidnapping. Even though she said nothing to him when Eric kicked him out the lab. She had waited for him in his house. Holding him as he cried, taking him to the hospital to get checked out.

She is amazing that way. Calleigh never let her personal feelings get in the way and Ryan knew from the moment she opened his door that night, that no matter what, she was there for him.

"You okay Ryan?" she looks up at him with a hopeful smile and he can't resist her. Sometimes he has a hard time trying to figure out who the older sibling is, because right now she definitely looks like the younger one.

"I will be. Nat's coming by later tonight to help me with the cleaning."

"Great, three sets of hands will definitely help." She grabs him and hugs him tightly, her head resting on his shoulder. He grabs her and all but crushes her in a hug. She laughs and he feels his spirit lifting. "Now we don't have to worry about Stetler." She says.

"And his stupid fraternization policies." Ryan gives her a pointed look.

"Yea, I'm pretty sure you and Natalia would greatly appreciate that." Jesse walks in and grabs Ryan for a hug. "Like you're the one to talk Jesse."

"So would you like an extra pair of hands tonight?" Jesse offers and Ryan nods, smiling.

"We heading out now Ry?" Natalia sneaks her way through and the four make their way over to his place, Calleigh and Jesse making a pit stop to change clothes.

Jesse sits with his back against the wall, legs out in front of him. Ryan's OCD is driving him crazy. Natalia and Cal didn't seem to have a problem, having been used to it by now. But Jesse feels like his whole back is giving out. He thought Calleigh moving furniture around was bad, but nothing, and he means nothing compared to Ryan.

At least princess didn't care about the furniture not being in the **"exact" **place, but Ryan could tell. Calleigh came and rested her head on his shoulder. He runs his hands through her hair, sliding down to rest on her hip. She smiles up at him and they share a kiss.

Natalia watches the scene from afar. Nudging Ryan he turns and they both smile. "That's adorable don't you think?"

"Yea it is."

Natalia walks over to the couple still locked in an embrace. "You guys want to order takeout?"

Calleigh's eyes shine and she quickly nods her head.

After Calleigh and Jesse leave, Ryan and Natalia find themselves cuddling in bed.

"Stetler set me up, not expecting for us to fight back so hard. I think he thought that because you used to gamble that we'd find it easier to believe you took the diamonds." Ryan nods his head.

"I can't believe Eric. I mean a wire? I know he had good intentions, but from what I've learned, they can end up burning you. Like when I gambled on clock, I broke so many rules. But at least I learned my lesson and stopped."

"You're not mad at me?"

"What? For the prior knowledge? I was at first, but the case was a whole mess and you would've eventually had Nevins not been killed. I love you, this doesn't change anything, and nothing could ever change anything."

"I love you too." Smiling Natalia closes her eyes and falls asleep on his chest.


	23. Three CSI's Down

_Ryan watches in horror as the staff start dropping like flies, one after the other. He couldn't get Natalia's name out of his mouth before she too succumbed to whatever's in the air, and he too followed after._

_Jesse tried to fight through the sudden dizziness, trying to overpower whatever it was causing everyone to fall. He takes a step closer to the table and finds his body falling. A sharp pain races through his forehead and Calleigh's smiling face over breakfast this morning is the last he sees before letting the darkness cloud him._

Horatio speeds his way down the street. The note Starling left for him crushed between his hand and the steering wheel. Whatever the message meant, he knew that there is a high chance that the lab is in danger. The ride up in the elevator was driving him mad. He barely even stopped before jumping out of the hummer and the stairs were blocked.

The doors open to the lab and he steps out carefully, gun in hand, only to see the entire staff on the ground. "Eric?" he steps closer repeating the man's name. Underneath him is Calleigh, you was starting to turn blue. A strangled air made its way out of his brother's throat and Horatio fires off two shots into the window.

The fresh air seemed to have caressed everyone in a blanket. Eric was the first to react, gasping and drinking in the air selfishly. Horatio kneels by Calleigh, she unlike the rest wasn't waking up. "Open those eyes sweetheart. Breathe. Breathe sweetheart."

Her body was less blue than before but she still wasn't waking up. He felt his heart race. _No no no, not like this sweetheart. Wake up. Please no. _"Breathe sweetheart." It became a chant. Her head started tilting before he met alarmed green eyes pop open. "You're alright, just breathe." He coaxes her and she rests her head on the floor.

"Jesse!" came Natalia's scream and Horatio leaves Calleigh in the care of Eric. Natalia is administering CPR on him and his heart drops once again. Jesse's eyes were closed and his head slowly pulsing blood. _That's a good sign._

However his breathing seemed to have been switched off. Natalia tries again and right before Horatio pulls her away, Jesse begins to cough. The paramedics roll through and wheel him out. Turning Horatio faces the rest of them team on their feet.

Everyone is worried for their fallen teammate, Calleigh worse than the rest. She still looked a little too pale and so Horatio forces her to go to the hospital to get checked out.

Ryan and Natalia sit by Jesse's hospital bed. They had just come from Calleigh's down the hall, who had to stay on oxygen for the rest of the day.

"He'll be fine won't he?" Natalia asks. She was the one that found him.

"You heard the doctor, had he not been brought in so quickly he would be dead. He'll wake up. The coma is medically induced. They just want to make sure all the blood is drained from his skull."

Natalia rests her head on his shoulder, arm wrapping around her stomach. "Are you okay?" he's noticed that she's being doing that lately. "Because you've been holding your stomach for the past two weeks. And you haven't been going to a lot of scenes either. What's wrong?"

She looks nervous. Fidgeting and twiddling her thumbs, staring down at the tiled floors. "I'm pregnant."

Ryan nod his head, not fully registering what she said. "Wow that explains a lot. The throwing up was morning sickness. And that's why you're not drinking coffee." Nodding nonstop now, he continues nodding his head.

He nods his head more, looking like an idiot. "Pregnant?" he continues to nod.

Nodding again Natalia finally slaps him. "Really Ryan." He nods again.

"We're having a baby?" it's her turn to nod and he laughs. "You hear that Jesse? You're going to be an uncle. Now wake up."

He looks down at Natalia and her eyes are watery. He bends his head down and they share a passionate kiss. Breaking away, they head on out giving Walter a turn at keeping a vigil by Jesse's bedside.

Horatio stood at the docks, watching as patrol take away Starling not so gracefully. He growls as he makes his way through the streets down to the hospital.

"_He is our friend. And you almost killed him. And you severely injured another one of my CSi's, a very close one. You should've never touched my lab."_

He sits by Jesse's bedside. Sending yet another pray to anyone who is willing to listen. Subdural hematoma the doctors say. A severe one. He had surgery and had to have his brain drained. Calleigh had broken down and cried in his arms when she relayed the news. She had calmed down and fell asleep not even five minutes ago.

The doctors say he's going to make it, but have kept him in this medically induced coma to lessen the chances of him having seizures. In a day or two they'll be checking in on him and making sure that he's fine.

Getting up, Horatio makes his way back to Calleigh's room. She is still asleep, nasal cannula supplying her with the precious oxygen she was deprived of earlier today. Laying his head down on her bed, he settles in for the night.

Eric sits alone in his apartment. He had figured that if Calleigh found out he had carried her out, she'd run into his arms. Instead she thanked him, and gave him a whole speech on saving her life and how grateful she was. Only for him to be pushed away for looking for Starling and then keeping vigil over Jesse.

"_I appreciate you for saving my life Eric, I've told you this all day. But I'm with Jesse, and right now, you're not the center of attention. I'm stuck in the hospital alongside Jesse anyway. I can't even see him for an hour before they bring me back into this room."_

It hurt you know, to see the love of your life in the arms of another man. The arms of a happy man, making **her** happy.

And Eric pushed her into Jesse's arms.


	24. Earnings

Laying down, Jesse gives a sharp curse. His doctors had warned of the migraines, but not enough. He had thought of the blinding migraines that would easily be solved by Advil, but by the look of the large amount of milligrams on his prescription, he should've known.

_How in the hell did Eric put up with these headaches?_

A shower usually helped, but the beading water only caused more pain to radiate through his skull. Moving only further intensified the migraine and Jesse resigns himself to the bed.

Days later, _or what feels like days, _Calleigh comes home and heads straight to the shower. The smell of vanilla wafts into the room and Jesse finds himself relaxing. He fails to realize the passing time and when her hand touches his shoulder he jumps, causing his head to pound.

"You okay hon? You don't look so good." Opening his eyes would cause too much pain so he just nods weakly. After a momentary leave of absence, Calleigh returns, she turns off all the lights and the moon was the only source of light. He slowly peels open his eyes and can barely make out the outline of her body. "Open." Came her command and she places a pill on his tongue she helps him with the water and settles herself behind him.

His back pressed against her torso, head pillowed by her breast, she spreads her legs out and he intertwines them together. Her hands start a relaxing massage, using her deft little hands to gently knead his scalp. "How do I know you didn't give me a cyanide pill?"

She lightly taps his forehead and giggles. "You don't." he chuckles, not stopping the groan that leaves his mouth as it jars his migraine. Calleigh drops kisses on his head, kneading his shoulders lightly.

"Just take the pain and count your blessings. Your hair is growing over the incision, so looks like it won't scar."

He perks up at this. They had to shave his hair in order to do the surgery and in the two weeks that's he's been in the hospital, the doctors also warned him about scarring. Constantly.

"That's great. I miss my hair so much." He runs his hands through the short strands, crying on the inside.

"So do I." she whispers into his ear causing a shudder to run through him.

_Great we hadn't made love in over two weeks, and she's exciting me waaaay too much right now. To hell with this migraine._

"You know princess. Orgasms help remedy headaches. And I've been cleared for activities that will result in said orgasms." He turns his head and they meet for a kiss. The pain pills already helping him shed the headache away.

Eric rings the doorbell of Calleigh's home, the sun high in the morning sky and birds chirping annoyingly around him. This ends today. Ryan and Natalia are happy with each other, baby on the way. Ryan and Natalia! Another one of his flames fallen to bits and in the arms of another man.

Stepping back, the man Eric didn't want to see opens the door. Shirtless. Hickey, bright against his collarbone.

Grunting Eric walks into the house, not caring for Cardoza's consent. _It's Calleigh's place anyway._

"Good morning Delko." Eric turns to give him a look.

"Where's Calleigh?" he isn't in the moods to play games today.

"She's upstairs asleep. Where she will remain."

"Since when did you dictate her life Cardoza?" his growl is followed by Jesse's scowl.

"Well after Starling nearly killed us all. She and H have been busy for the past two weeks. With court dates, appearances. Meetings and the works. They both head the lab. She's been getting maybe two three hours of sleep a night. So I'm against waking her up unless she gets called out."

Sitting on her couch Eric plans a route of action. While he did plan on trying one last time that he's the man for her, taunting Jesse is still a lot of fun. He had missed causing doubt in the other man's mind since the gassing.

That had been his first plan of action. Get Cardoza psyched out enough to think he had no real chance with Calleigh. But obviously that had failed because the man is standing in her house, half naked and a fresh hickey on his body.

Jesse stares back, eyes quizzical. Eric smirk grows as he figures out what he can do.

"Not to mention looking after you. Having to cover your shift and come back to nurse you back to health. Man I'm surprised she hadn't crashed sooner."

At Jesse's downcast eyes, Eric knew he hit a mark. Jesse has this innate behavior of trying too hard to please as well as protect. And after failing to do so with his wife, he's trying extra hard with Calleigh.

"I wanted to thank you, for carrying Calleigh out. If it hadn't been for you, she would've been in worse condition."

"She could've died Jesse. But thankfully I was there for her."

Jesse flinches and Eric keeps up the brutal attack. "You know, this is the second time she's woken up to seeing me over her, since you've been together. Not to mention countless other times when you were in LA."

"Thank you for that. I don't think I could make it if she had died. Especially when I was not even a minutes' walk away from her."

Standing Eric faces the man, "Is this going to become a habit. Because if it is, then just give her up already."

"What have I done to you to make you so cold towards me?" Jesse all but pleads.

"You have the thing I want the most. The person I want the most." Eric growls out. His teasing earlier turns to anger.

"Princess is not 'something' you can win. She's someone you have to earn. You lost all these '_bragging'_ rights the minute you started lying to her two years ago. That stunt with your father killed your relationship, and this stunt you're pulling with me now is not going to revive it. You may have been there for her when she first woke up, but I'm with her now, and always.

"So don't come into our home and disrupt our peace because you can't admit that she's happy with someone else. Calleigh isn't the one for you, take your failed relationship and use it as an example on how not to carry on the next one. As for right now, get out. Because she needs to sleep, I need to sleep, and you have no need to be here."

Taking a step back, Eric makes his way to her front door. It is obvious that she doesn't want anything to do with him, and maybe he pushed Cardoza too far. As for now. He'll back off, but he isn't going to stop trying to get Calleigh back. No matter the cost.


	25. Sealing a Deal

Ryan carries Natalia back onto the bed, her stomach finally having calmed down considerably. "You need seltzer water." It isn't a question.

She nods and Ryan gets to it. Seeing her in such obvious discomfort made Ryan hurt himself. Setting down the seltzer water on the counter, he rests his head on his hands. Thank god everyone survived the gassing. And thank god the baby survived as well.

Natalia has been worried sick the past two weeks, nightmares waking her up in the middle of the night. He remembers every terrified sound she made as she dreamed of not being strong enough to keep the baby. Even now as she lays on the bed, Ryan is scared that the stress will really cause her to lose their child. But he would never let Natalia know that, she's in too much distress already.

Grabbing the glass, he treks back into their room. He smiles at that, they were halfway through moving him into her more spacious Coral Gables home. His OCD is getting the better of him, but he has to hurry because his lease is up on the house.

"That took a while." She teases, despite her pallor she still looks stellar.

"I opened a new bottle. These little girl muscles need time to charge." He shoots back easily. She takes the glass and sips at the water, testing herself, probably holding back a witty response.

"You know I love you right honey?" Natalia looks at him and nods.

"And I love little Nathaniel as well."

"Nathaniel? Ew no we are not naming our kid Nathaniel. Nathan, yes. Nathaniel, no." Natalia starts a long argument about names and Ryan is glad to see her laughing again.

"What if it's a girl?" she asks out of the blue.

"We'll name her Ryan." His answer is met with a pillow to the face.

Jesse walks back into their room, heart heavy. As much as princess tells him, he can't help but think that he still isn't doing enough. But that's just his heart and head battling it out. Trying to downplay himself so Calleigh wouldn't be bombarded. But he is a broken man. He had found Tracy, head bent at an awkward angle, blood pooled like a halo on their living room floor. That'll break any man down.

So whenever he looks at Calleigh and sees an ounce of pain she may be feeling, he feels as if he had caused that pain. She hasn't been sleeping enough, maybe two or three hours a night. And she helps run day shift, and they have to cover for his leave of absence. He's wearing her thin.

"Our home?" her voice knocks him to reality. "What?"

"You told Eric not to come into 'our home'" she gives him a pointed look, eyes gleaming with playfulness. "Well, yea I guess. It just came out you know?" he shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Yea, I understand what you mean dimples." She smiles and he drops his head.

Sitting down Calleigh wraps her arms around his midsection, head resting on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around hers, and leans his head on top, a sigh escaping his lips. They stay intertwined for what Jesse hopes would be forever, until he moves to face her. "Let's make it official."

She tilts her head in question. "Let's make 'our home' official." She smiles at him and nods her head without further thought. It does make sense seeing as they spent every day together. Picking up chores as well as doing any shopping needed for their respective households.

"Let's keep up traditions princess. Any deals, seal it with a kiss." She laughs her melodic laugh and their lips meet with promise.

"The only question now Jesse is your place, or mine?"


	26. Trouble

Jesse sat uncomfortably in the passenger side of the hummer. He and Eric stay immobile in traffic, the worst thing that could happen to him. He can feel the Hispanic's anger rolling off in waves and Jesse knows that he has to choose his words right.

"Like family she said." Jesse turns at the man's voice, confusion written clearly on his face. Eric faces him and repeats. "She said she loves me like family."

Jesse nods his head, hoping that Eric would just rant. "What's the problem with that?"

"The pro… the problem Cardoza, is that Calleigh and I have too much history between us for there to be familial love between us. Because brothers and sisters don't do the things we did."

Looking away, Jesse couldn't hide his smirk. "You think this is funny?"

"Yea Delko I do. Just let her go. Princess and I are making our own history right now. You don't have to come in and try to ruin what we have."

Eric's jaw sets and he turns fully to him. "Listen here, Calleigh and I used to have this amazing friendship. We both told each other everything. It only made sense to get together. And you would think that it is a sure thing you know. Built to last. But I had to go and be stupid and she couldn't handle that. Now I'm trying to prove myself to her once again, and you keep getting in the way.

"So yea, I do have to try and ruin what you guys have. Because you did the same to me"

Jesse shakes his head, a chuckle on his lips. "This isn't some play by play with Calleigh's heart. And if you're going to put things so black and white, I didn't _knowingly _'ruin' your relationship. Maybe it has something to do with the mistrust that has seemed to make its permanent mark."

Delko clenches his jaw and then goes off on a tirade about him and Calleigh and allll their history at CSI, al Jesse could do was sit back and suffer.

"Hey Ryan, could you get me a sandwich?" Natalia bats her eyelashes at him. Smiling Ryan can't help but let his eyes travel down to her stomach. At four months, she seems to barely even show, but he knew better. The shirts she's made a habit of wearing have hid their growing child from prying eyes, though everyone knows she's pregnant.

"You just ate." Their doctor had warned her of overeating and Ryan knew she didn't heed the warning as much as he. "Yea, but the baby is hungry and it's craving that Cuban sandwich from that one place."

Ryan's shoulders drop, today is a slow day and he had no doubt Horatio wouldn't mind if he went on this excursion, even if 'the place' is going to take an hour with traffic. "I'll get it for you. Just hold on okay?" arguing with her is pointless, she'll speak in circles and make nonsensical arguments and Ryan would relent.

Like he is doing right now. "I'll tell H where you're headed. Thanks hon?"

"No problem Nat."

"And the sex, when we did have it, was amazing. She was so responsive, a bit nervous but responsive nonetheless. Are you even sure you can pleasure her thoroughly Cardoza? She is hard to please."

Nodding Jesse had to second that thought. It's been two months since the gassing, and almost a month since she finally moved into his place. The process was long and they took a week to finally settle into having each other around. Constantly.

At first Calleigh was a bit distant, shying away from any sort of affection from him and Jesse had been hurt. But he knew it would take Cal a while to get used to her new surroundings, even though they spent a lot of time at his place anyway. She would hide away during their shared days off and take longer showers. As the week died off she began to return to normal and even initiated a lot of their intimate times together.

By the next week, it was as if she always lived with him. And he no longer felt the panging hurt of her shying away from him. She later explained her nerves and how she had to tell herself that they were real, and that they were going to stay together. She had been battling her own insecurities, and Jesse proved them wrong by being the stability she needs.

He smiles once again and runs Eric's words through his head again. She is a work of art. Not once has his princess made things easy for him. She pushed him to be his best and he is eternally grateful for her. Their lovemaking took an even deeper turn when they moved in together, going about to Christian the place.

Looking up the parking lot rears its head and Jesse gives Eric a big smile.

"Delko, I'm hardly one to splurge on intimate details on princess and I. but I can tell you one thing. It certainly is not you who she snuggles into at night, not you she becomes one with and it's not your name that falls off her lips when she finds pleasure four times a night." Chuckling he steps out the hummer and makes his way to CSI, a bounce in his step for one upping Delko finally.

He's thrown back into the wall of the elevator as Ryan comes back, a bag of food in hand. "Natalia sent you out on a midafternoon craving session?"

"Delko trying to shake you up again?" they both laugh and shake their head.

For as much trouble as these women were getting them into, they wouldn't have it any other way.


	27. Breakfast

**Going back to the old humorous part of the story because I missed it so much. It took a while for me to upload this even though I had this typed and ready to go ages ago. But alas finals are here and being Pre-Med sucks. **

Jesse watches as Calleigh walks and Natalia waddles down the hallway, talk of the baby shower making its way to his ears. Smiling Jesse turns to see Ryan eyeing his six month pregnant wife, jealousy beginning to rear its ugly head again. He couldn't wait for him and his princess to finally start the family they both wanted. Little blonde haired, green eyed, dimple cheeked children screaming throughout the house. The thought made him smile brighter and Ryan's voice knocks him into his senses.

"Your time will come Jesse."

Turning, Jesse smiles softly at Ryan. With Tracy it was easy, she was traditional, ask her father for permission, then simply ask her, dust off his hands and like that they were married. But Calleigh is way too simple and yet complicated. _Princess will say yes regardless of the way I ask. _

Jesse collapses onto the bed, rolling Calleigh over on his chest after a really heated round of fun. Breathing heavily Jesse reaches a still twitching arm underneath his pillow for the ring. While she is still in her euphoric haze, he slips the ring onto her finger and kisses her hand.

Turning her to spoon, he buries his head in her hair inhaling her scent. "I love you princess."

Ryan rubs Natalia's very pregnant abdomen. "We should go on a honeymoon." He says nervously, causing her to shift into a sitting position. "We should, but after the baby is born and is moving around on his own."

He nods, understanding her train of thought. Babies are expensive but honeymoons are even more expensive. But that isn't stopping the thoughts of vacationing from entering his head.

"Besides, I'm pretty sure Walter won't mind watching little Nathaniel." Ryan says proudly drawing a deep guttural laugh from Natalia.

"We are NOT naming our son Nathaniel! We had this talk already, what's wrong with you?" Natalia shook her head fast. "We're naming him Nathan."

"Fine, be that way."

"I will."

Jesse sets her plate down on the table, almost knocking over her glass of orange juice in the process due to his raging nerves. She still isn't up, something not that odd on their shred days off. Usually he'd stay in bed, cuddling with her, watching her sleep. But not this morning.

The ring is sitting perfectly on her finger, tucked precariously under her head. And he couldn't lay there, waiting for her to wake up. So instead he opted for making himself busy, preparing a late breakfast of a bacon and cheese omelet with French toast.

Looking at the set table, he walks back towards the room to see if she woke up. He soon is thrown onto the floor right at the entrance of their bedroom by a squealing mass of Calleigh. She is planting kiss after kiss all over his face and they engage in a back and forth of intimate kisses.

"What's all this for princess?" he decides feigning ignorance is the best league of action despite his nerves.

She straddles his abdomen and he takes the time to drink in her appearance. His dress shirt from the previous day adorning her body, hanging loosely on certain parts of her body while… _accentuating _other parts. Especially since with his 6'2" frame seemed to dominate her foot shorter body quite nicely. The shirt tickles the top of her knees when she stands and with her straddling him, it tickled her upper thighs teasingly.

She runs her hands down his chest, tickling him and causing his muscles to twitch. The eight emerald diamonds matched her eyes perfectly, circling the diamond that almost blinded him as it reflected the sunlight.

He looks up to her wide eyes, feral with excitement and happiness. Hair way past tousled, framed her face, giving her an even more wild appearance. He feels himself grow hard at the sight and feel of her warm and naked body against his bare abdomen. She tilts her head in mock innocence, a smile dancing on her lips. She nods her head slowly, but with another "confused look she finally says the words he's been wanting to hear for the past year and a half. "Yes"

He breathes out a heavy sigh and she smiles wider. She leaned down in slow motion and their lips met in a deep, slow kiss. His arousal grows as her own is made apparent to him. Groaning he breaks the kiss and cradles her face.

His eyes drop to a cut just below her eye. "What happened?"

"I woke up, stretched, and when I went to wipe my eyes, the ring scratched me. That's how I knew it was there."

He leans up and kisses the cut, feeling slightly guilty at the offending scratch marking her skin. She leans down and they meet once more for a heated kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too princess."


	28. Questions

"Natalia I need you to calm down." Caleigh felt herself freaking out, and Natalia's state of non-calmness was not helping her usual level of control.

"Calm down? You want me to calm down? My uterus feels like it's being torn open!" Calleigh flinches at her friend's harsh tone. She knows Nat means nothing by it, her uterus is actually opening up.

"I'm sorry Calleigh." Natalia actually looks sorry until another contraction hits her… hard. "Ahhhh fuck! I'm going to kill Ryan when I see him."

"That's illegal, but he's going to meet us so you have plenty of time to make the perfect plan." Calleigh can only offer some support. She pushes the gas pedal harder and makes it to Miami General in record time.

Jesse receives the call that Ryan has been waiting on his entire life. "Got you princess, I'll tell him now. Love you too, bye." Eric and Ryan look up at the sound of his pet name for Calleigh.

"Tell who what?" Ryan asks nervously.

Ever since Natalia's been on maternity leave, Ryan has been a bit on the overly protective side. Before it was worse. Texting his wife every ten seconds, asking Calleigh to do the same, calling her whenever he got a break. It drove them crazy, he could only imagine how Natalia must feel, but now he has to tell Ryan of Natalia's labor and Jesse finds himself nervous to relay the information.

"So you know how your wife is pregnant?" he starts off. And Ryan nods his head "Yea Jesse, why?"

Jesse starts to chuckle "Not anymore. At least it's getting there."

Ryan almost drops his evidence. "She went into labor?" his heart drops, _Calleigh was supposed to be watching her! Though it isn't Calleigh's fault for the baby wanting to make himself known._

"Ryan?"

"Yea?"

"Are you gonna go to her?" Jesse asks with a nervous laugh.

"That's a good idea isn't it?" he asks back, pulling his gloves off and rushing out of the door.

Jesse watches as Ryan runs around the lab, lost like a newbie wandering the halls. "I hope I don't look like that when Calleigh goes into labor." Eric looks surprised for a second. "No she's not pregnant…yet."

He walks after Ryan still struggling to find his hold on himself. There was no way he was letting him drive.

"You're doing fine honey, just a little more." Ryan tries his best to console his wife even though she looks like she's had better days. "Ryan. I swear to god if our child wasn't entering this world, I'd beat you to death. ARE YOU THE ONE HAVING TO PUSH THIS DAMN KID OUT OF YOUR VAGINA?!"

"No" he answers quietly. "I FUCKING THOUGHT SO! NOW SHUT THE FUCK UP AND JUST HOLD MY HAND!" he looks down to see that he never let go of it, she must be squeezing so hard that they both lost all feelings. "One more push Mrs. Wolfe." She lets out a huge scream and it was replaced by the most beautiful sound he ever heard.

Their son. "Hey look its Nathaniel." He teases and earns himself a weak slap. "Nathan you pompous asshole." He showers her in kisses as the nurse takes their son away too soon. "You did a great job Nat."

Natalia looks down at the tiny tan bundle in her arms. Ryan is fussing over things such as the hat he's wearing and if she's comfortable where she's sitting. Or if maybe he could adjust her bed. Or get her water, food, more light, less light, whether or not she had enough blankets.

"Ry, relax. I'm fine. Here hold little Nathan."

"He certainly is tiny. Oh look at that." he is astounded by Nathan wrapping his tiny hand around his pinky. "Oh he's so perfect. We have to keep him like this forever Nat." his eyes tear up for the countless time in the last hour. Natalia rubs his arm and he sits on the edge of the bed still in disbelief.

"Knock knock." They both look up to see Calleigh and Jesse file through the door. He hands the baby to Natalia before directing them to the bathroom to wash their hands. They were the last to visit, the rest of the team ogling their bundle of absolute joy.

Calleigh sits on the chair by the bed looking nervously at Natalia. "You want to hold him?"

"I thought you would never ask." Calleigh jumps up and carefully "snatches" the baby from his mother. "Oh he's absolutely ADORABLE!" jess walks over and strokes the child's face. "Thank god you look like your mother."

Calleigh and Natalia chuckle at Ryan's expense, who could only offer an exasperated and completely sarcastic "Ha ha ha"

"Now that we're all here we have an important question for you guys. Ryan?" Natalia starts.

The husband and wife duo turn their head in sync. "We would greatly appreciate if you guys would be their godparents."

Calleigh tears up and nods her head vigorously. This is the first time Ryan has ever seen her cry. By now Jesse is softly rocking Nathan in his arms, promising to rescue him from his insane father whenever he needed to be.

Calleigh is stroking Natalia's hair and they are locked in conversation about god knows what with baby things. The men however do catch Natalia's words of wanting Nathan to have a cousin to play and grow up with, to which Calleigh answers. "You won't have to wait that long. Give or take five months."

Ryan looks to Jesse's grinning face, dimples creating craters on his face. And looking back down at Nathan. "Well at least you won't have to suffer alone, because your cousin will certainly help you out of situations."

Jesse laughs before adding "Yea right, this is Calleigh's kid we're talking about here. He or she will definitely find mischief.

"You're one to talk dimples." A toothy grin is all she gets in return.

Ryan looks at his little family. They have been through a lot in the past two years, but seeing his smiling wife with their child laughing alongside a recently married Jesse and Calleigh, he knows that everything from this point on is going to go smoothly, because they had each other to lean on.

Le End

**Epilogue coming up within the week.**


End file.
